Philadelphia Phillies Forced to Make Important Roster Decision

The Philadelphia Phillies are still attempting to finalize their roster heading into the regular season, and some spots are still up for grabs.

One specific area in which the Phillies remain undecided is their last bench slot, and utility man Dylan Moore is widely viewed as a top candidate to steal it.

However, Philadelphia is now under some pressure to make a move on him.

Will Sammon of The Athletic has reported that Moore has triggered his opt-out clause, which means that the Phillies will have 48 hours to sign him to their 40-man roster.

If Philadelphia does not sign him by then, Moore will become a free agent Saturday.

Moore is certainly not much of a hitter, as he slashed just .201/.267/.374 with 11 home runs and 25 RBI over 243 plate appearances between the Seattle Mariners and Texas Rangers last season. He also owns a lifetime .693 OPS.

However, the 33-year-old has value given his ability to play virtually any position.

Moore has occupied every single position except catcher throughout his big-league career, so he can play all over the diamond.

Generally, you want a bench player who can step up in a pinch and fill in for injured players or guys who simply need a day off, which is why the veteran is considered a frontrunner to nab that final Phillies' bench spot.

Philadelphia has had a relatively quiet offseason overall. Yes, the Phillies re-signed Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto, but they also watched Ranger Suarez depart via free agency and didn't make any significant moves.

They did sign outfielder Adolis Garcia to a one-year contract, but that came after he was non-tendered by the Rangers. They also added relief pitcher Brad Keller on a two-year contract.

Philadelphia has won 95-plus games in back-to-back campaigns, but it was bounced from the NLDS both times.

Phillies fans are understandably frustrated with the team's lack of a deep playoff run in spite of such a talented group, and many feel that Dave Dombrowski should have done more to bolster the roster over the winter.

That being said, this team is still good enough to compete in the National League and should be viewed as the favorite to win the NL East.

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