Philadelphia Phillies: 5 free agent relievers the team should pursue

4. RHP Tyler Clippard

2020 Team: Minnesota Twins

2020 Salary: $2.75 Million

Next on our list, we take a look at Tyler Clippard, who just finished up his 14th season of his career, this one with the Twins. Minnesota signed the veteran right hander to a 1 year $2.75 million dollar deal last winter, and looking back on it now, it is arguably the best bargain deal of the entire 2019 offseason. Clippard finished the shortened 2020 season with an ERA of 2.77 across 26 appearances, pitching 26 innings for the AL Central Champs.

The veteran has also pitched for the Yankees, Nationals, Athletics, Mets, Diamondbacks, White Sox, Astros, Blue Jays, and Indians. So as you can tell, Clippard is well traveled, and it is more likely than not he will be looking for a new ball club this winter as opposed to returning to Minnesota (which is still a possibility.)

While he does not possess overpowering stuff, Tyler Clippard does an excellent job of inducing weak contact and keeping the ball in the ball park as he holds a career ERA of 3.13 along with a career 1.2 HR/9. With that being said, it is not as if he does not miss bats as he did strike out 26 batters in the 26 innings he pitched this season, and holds a career 10.0 K/9.

Clippard also has experience closing out ball games with 68 career saves, although he hasn’t recorded a save since 2018 and only has 15 of them since the beginning of the 2016 season. Still with that in mind, the right hander would be an excellet addition to the bullpen in a set up type of role, and he has shown he can be counted on in high leverage situations.

It is very likely he will be looking for a raise from the $2.75 million he earned in 2020, but considering his age (he turns 36 in February), a 1-2 year deal is about what it would take. If he can be had in that window for about $5 million per year, the Philadelphia Phillies should look to pounce.