Philadelphia Phillies poised to add one more big-name reliever?
By David Esser
Just a few days after the team signed RHP Archie Bradley, the Philadelphia Phillies continue to be linked to some of the top free agents on the open market. According to MLB insider Mark Feinsand, the Phillies (along with a plethora of other teams) have expressed interest in right-handed reliever Jeremy Jeffress.
The reliever market remains crowded with talent, but one pitcher on a lot of radars is Jeremy Jeffress; per sources, at least 10 teams have some level of interest in the right-hander including Blue Jays, Red Sox, Cubs, Astros, Dodgers, Mets, Phillies and Nationals.
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) January 18, 2021
Philadelphia Phillies are being linked to RHP Jeremy Jeffress.
The Phillies have made some good initial steps in getting their bullpen up to speed, adding the likes of Jose Alvarado, Sam Coonrod, and of course the before mentioned Archie Bradley – but there’s still a good amount of work to be done. Considering the fact that the 2020 Phillies had the second worst bullpen ERA in baseball history, it should come as little surprise that the team is still being linked to free agent relievers.
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Jeffress, an 11 year veteran, is coming off a very impressive 2020 campaign with the Chicago Cubs. He posted a 1.54 ERA across 23.1 innings, and his stunningly low WHIP of 0.943 was one of the best in the National League. Even at the age of 33, Jeffress would be a sizable addition to the Philadelphia bullpen.
Jeffress had a bit of a down year in 2019 with the Milwaukee Brewers (5.02 ERA), but for the most part, he’s been a fairly consistent option out of the ‘pen. He’s pitched for five different ball clubs during his 11 year career, and has an ERA of 3.08 during that span. Combine his strong resume with his dominant 2020 season, and he’s definitely the type of arm the Phillies would be wise to splash some cash on.
Jeffress also has some closing experience to him, as he’s finished 144 career games and has 52 total saves. His past performances pitching in the ninth inning could add to the Phillies potential goal of running a “closer by committee” setup in 2021. The possibility of rotating between Bradley, Alvarado, Jeffress, and Hector Neris in the ninth inning could prove devastating to opponent lineups.
With so many teams reportedly in the running for Jeffress, the Phillies are likely facing some steep competition, and could ultimately get priced out. They still have to find a way to lock up J.T. Realmuto (although that seems increasingly likely), and they remain interested in adding a shortstop and maybe even a fifth starter.
Next. Philadelphia Phillies: J.T. Realmuto market appears to be a two team race. dark
With that said, it does feel like Dave Dombrowski has plans of adding another reliable arm to his slowly improving bullpen. The Phillies were being connected to free agent closer Alex Colome just a few days before they signed Bradley, which signals that the team has continued to check in on multiple relievers this offseason. Whether it’s Jeffress or someone else, I’d expect the Phillies to add at least one more reliever this winter.