Philadelphia Phillies: 5 free agent relievers the team should pursue

3. LHP Sean Doolittle

2020 Team: Washington Nationals

2020 Salary: $2.4 Million

I swear this is not intentional, but we once again take a look at a guy the Philadelphia Phillies have seen a lot of over the years, and that is Sean Doolittle. The thing that sets this veteran reliever apart from the rest? He is left-handed, which is something the Phils’ desperately need.

The 34 year old has regressed a bit the last two seasons, but a change of scenery could potentially help him regain the form he held for most of his career. A putrid 5.87 ERA in 11 appearances in 2020 was preceded by a 4.05 ERA in 2019. While yes, 4.05 is not an awful ERA, it was nowhere close to the 1.60 ERA he held in 2018, nor was it close to the 2.83 career ERA he had held up to that point. All his last two seasons have done is raise his career ERA to a measly 3.07 (insert eye roll emoji.)

Okay all joking aside, Doolittle would be a fantastic addition to the 2021 bullpen for Philadelphia. He would instantly be a candidate to close out ball games, as he comes with 111 career saves. It also helps he would come with a wealth of postseason experience, as he has appeared in 20 career postseason games to an ERA of 2.42; and well, he also has a World Series to his name as he won one with the Washington Nationals in 2019 (sigh).

Another thing to consider is the local connection for Doolittle, as he is a graduate of Shawnee High School which is located in Medford, New Jersey, right in the heart of South Jersey. A reunion with a local guy like this is always fun, and it is even better when they are as good a player as Doolittle. A 2-3 year deal is not out of the question for the left handed veteran, and if the money is around $5 million per season, the Philadelphia Phillies should be in the mix for his services.