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Philadelphia Phillies: How to Fix the Bullpen

By Tyler Monahan

May 9, 2017; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Phillies relief pitcher Hector Neris (50) walks off the field in the ninth inning after allowing the go ahead run to score against the Seattle Mariners at Citizens Bank Park. The Mariners defeated the Phillies, 10-9. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
May 9, 2017; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Phillies relief pitcher Hector Neris (50) walks off the field in the ninth inning after allowing the go ahead run to score against the Seattle Mariners at Citizens Bank Park. The Mariners defeated the Phillies, 10-9. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports /
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If the Philadelphia Phillies want to make a run at the playoffs in the upcoming years they need to fix the bullpen.

The Philadelphia Phillies are not in a place to contend for a playoff spot this season, that is no secret. They might not be able to for a few more years, with the help of some younger players. Until players like JP Crawford, Nick Williams, and Jorge Alfaro make it to the major leagues and receive regular playing time the team may be stuck in baseball purgatory.

This season the bullpen has been the teams biggest weakness, blowing leads often, and killing  momentum. To fix this huge problem the Phillies need to do a few things.

Bring in some fresh faces from Lehigh Valley

While the Phillies did take steps this offseason to bring in veterans they just haven’t worked out. Through 32 games Joaquin Benoit has a 5.79 ERA  in just 14 innings pitched while younger pitchers such as Joely Rodriguez has a 4.58 ERA. These numbers simply aren’t going to cut it. One way to figure out who fits is to bring up some fresh faces from Triple A.

A few fits to be brought up to the major league bullpen include the hard throwing righty Luis Garcia. Garcia, who has been up and down in the Phillies organization since 2013 has had limited success. Lefty specialist Hoby Milner who has had a stellar season so far for the IronPigs is another option. Fresh faces in the bullpen might be what gets some of the mainstays to get back on track.

Give pitchers definitive roles

One reason why the bullpen has been so unreliable this season is because many of the pitchers don’t know when they’re going to be used. A combination of Benoit, Hector Neris, and Jeanmar Gomez has been used so far to try and close out games. By giving pitchers a definitive role they know exactly what to expect when they head into a game. Whether it be Benoit, Neris, Gomez, or the most reliable Phillies reliever Pat Neshek, one pitcher should be closing games. With one known closer and others in a setup role, these pitchers can thrive.

Keep Hector Neris in the closer role

With so many moving pieces it is important to give someone the role of closer to grow into. The pitcher most ready for this is Hector Neris, as he is young, has a great repertoire of pitches, and has shown the ability to get outs in high leverage situations. At only 27 years of age, Neris has plenty of time to learn the ins and outs of being a true closer. The first step of that happening is manager Pete McKannin showing confidence in him to become the closer of the future.

Next: Philadelphia Phillies: Who should start in the outfield?

What makes this years bullpen so different from years past is the mix of youth and veteran leadership. There are pieces on this team that can make this bullpen successful, but at the moment that isn’t happening. As the season moves along many of these pieces will hopefully whip into shape like many fans thought they would.

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