The Philadelphia Phillies could really use a bounce-back year from Jean Segura

When Matt Klentak first acquired Jean Segura during the 2019 offseason, he was supposed to be a pretty sizable addition. Joining the likes of Bryce Harper, Andrew McCutchen, and J.T. Realmuto as first-year members of the Philadelphia Phillies, the vision was that the cumulation of so much All-Star caliber talent would finally vault the Phils back into postseason contention.

Obviously, that strategy didn’t come to fruition, as the Phillies didn’t crack the postseason in 2019 or 2020, and Matt Klentak is now no longer employed as the Phillies general manager.

The team’s constant pitching woes aside for the moment, a big reason the Phillies have struggled to perform over the last two seasons is due to the hype that Segura failed to live up to. Despite posting a batting average of at least .300 the three seasons prior, Segura’s average dipped to .280 in 2019, and then all the way down to .263 in 2020. He posted a career-high error total playing shortstop in 2019 (20), forcing the team to transition him into a 2B/3B this past season.

Prior to his arrival to Philadelphia, Segura was viewed as one of the better shortstops in all of baseball. He was regarded as an extremely productive “contact hitter”, and his two All-Star Game appearances spoke for themselves. The logic of pairing him up alongside sluggers like Harper, Realmuto, and Rhys Hoskins definitely made sense in theory.

More from Section 215

• 4 Eagles on the Bubble Who Have Clinched Their 53-Man Roster Spots
• Best Pennsylvania Sportsbook Promos: Win $650 GUARANTEED Bonus PLUS $100 off NFL Sunday Ticket
• 3 Punters the Eagles Must Target to Replace Arryn Siposs
• Cowboys Trey Lance Trade Proves How Screwed They Are With Dak Prescott
• Devon Allen Took Britain Covey’s Job on Eagles

While Segura’s regression the last two seasons has definitely been unfortunate, there’s still time for him to turn things around. He’s under contract for the next two seasons, and his high salary makes him difficult to trade on the open market ($14.85 million). Add in the fact that Joe Girardi has already committed to Segura as the team’s starting 2B heading into Spring Training, and it’s clear that the Phillies haven’t given up hope just quite yet.

While the dream of Segura being an All-Star caliber infielder for the Philadelphia Phillies is likely done and dusted, him having a “bounce-back” season here in 2021 would do a lot for the team’s playoff aspirations. Getting his batting average back up into the .285-.290 range would be a great first step, and developing into an above average defensive 2B would be the icing on cake.

The Philadelphia Phillies could definitely use a better Segura in 2021.

While Didi Gregorius returning is definitely a good thing, the Phillies really struggled with their infield defense last year. Segura in a particular is a guy who will likely be turned to to compensate for the defensive deficiencies that guys like Alec Bohm and Rhys Hoskins pose on the corners.

If Segura can find a way to return to some semblance of the “mean Jean the hittin’ machine” version of himself that he was known for in Seattle, the Phillies should feel pretty good about their lineup – top to bottom – from an offensive standpoint. If Segura fails to bounce-back this upcoming season, Girardi will likely have to experiment with Scott Kingery as an everyday option once more.

Regardless, Segura is getting paid a whole lot of money to be a crucial piece to this Phillies squad. Just like all the other key players, he has to produce in a big way if Philly wants to taste some October baseball in 2021.