Philadelphia Phillies: Brad Miller reunion is exactly what the bench needed

Heading into the 2021 offseason, a majority of the discourse surrounding the Philadelphia Phillies was in regards to J.T. Realmuto, Didi Gregorius, and their league-worst bullpen. With the organization publicly conveying that funds would be tight this winter, fans weren’t sure if any of the three topics would actually be addressed.

However, Dave Dombrowski came into town with a new-look front office and a desire to spend some cash. Both Realmuto and Gregorius were locked up for the foreseeable future, and the bullpen was addressed by way of Archie Bradley and some sly trades/minor-league signings. With the major holes filled, the Phillies were then able to turn their attention to an underrated roster weakness – the bench.

A clubhouse hero back in 2019, the move to sign “Bamboo” Brad Miller Friday morning is one that should ultimately pay off in the long run. A solid bench bat who has really produced at an absurd rate over the last two seasons, Miller has the ability to fill a variety of holes for Philadelphia in 2021.

Brad Miller fills more than one hole for the Philadelphia Phillies.

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Not only will Miller be Joe Girardi’s go-to option during pinch-hit situations, but his defensive versatility allows him to be used all over the diamond. He can line up at both corner outfield positions, while also having the ability to slot in at first and third base.

Considering the fact that Rhys Hoskins’ health status is currently up in the air, Andrew McCutchen will need a handful of days off, and Alec Bohm is still somewhat shaky at the hot corner – having Miller around should be viewed as a luxury.

While Miller was primarily known in Philly for his “bamboo” gimmick, his numbers tell the tale of someone who has really found their groove as a true slugger over the last 100+ games. He posted a .941 OPS across 66 games with the Phillies in 2019, and then posted an .801 OPS for the Cardinals this past season (48 games). Towards the end of his tenure in St. Louis, the Cards legitimately had Miller batting cleanup on some occasions.

Like previously stated, the bench has been an underrated weak point for the Phils in recent years. While the lack of a deep pitching staff has primarily highlighted the team’s struggles since Bryce Harper, the fact that guys like Neil Walker and Sean Rodriguez were once relied upon as key bench pieces really speaks volumes as to how weak the team’s depth was at times.

With Brad Miller now back in the fold for 2021, the Phillies have themselves a super reliable bench bat, one who can fill in at multiple defensive spots. For just $3 million, it’s hard not to feel like this was yet another strong signing from Dombrowski and the new-look Phillies front office.