Philadelphia Phillies: 3 best free agent additions after the lockout ends

The Philadelphia Phillies need someone to compete with Corey Knebel for the closer job.

Kenley Jansen would step in and become the Phillies closer if the team signed him, however, he’s not the only direction the team can go. Other notable free agent relievers such as Ryan Tepera, Richard Rodriguez, and Brad Hand could also fit in with what the Phillies need most.

If you’re anything like me, you don’t have too much confidence in Knebel being the answer for the Phillies bullpen. While he pitched well in his 25.2 regular season innings last year, it’s hardly enough to convince me it’s his job without winning a fight first.

I like the idea of Knebel competing for the closer job. Tepera might not be cut out for it nor would many other top relief pitchers available, such as Andrew Chafin. It’s a different story with Rodriguez and Hand. Both have had some history with the closer spot. Either one could be signed for relatively cheaply especially if there’s a nice chance they could eventually win the closer role for the Phillies.

There’s always the trade block to check for other solutions for what has been one of the biggest weaknesses of the club in recent years. The Phillies certainly need more than just a top closer for us to have more confidence in their relief corps. However, without the steady closer in place, anything else the bullpen does well could quickly get washed away.