Phillies Rumors

Phillies To Sign Brad Hand

By Steve Adams | March 14, 2022 at 9:46am CDT

9:46am: The Phillies and Hand are in agreement on a one-year deal that will guarantee him $6MM, reports ESPN’s Jeff Passan. Hand is represented by Jet Sports Management. It’s a straight one-year deal with no options and no incentives to boost the salary, MLBTR has learned.

9:20am: The Phillies are in talks with free-agent lefty Brad Hand, tweets MLB Network’s Jon Heyman. He’d be the third notable addition to the Phils’ bullpen so far this offseason, joining likely closer Corey Knebel (who signed before the lockout) and righty Jeurys Familia, who agreed to terms on Saturday.

Hand, 32 next week, is a three-time All-Star but is in need of a rebound campaign after struggling through a lackluster showing between the Nationals, Blue Jays and Mets in 2021. Signed by Washington to a one-year, $10.5MM last winter, Hand posted a solid 3.89 ERA with the Nats, albeit with a greatly diminished 23.1% strikeout rate.

Things went awry for Hand following a July trade to the Blue Jays, as the lefty never really found his footing in Toronto. Hand was scored upon in five of his 11 appearances with the Jays, ultimately yielding 10 runs (seven earned) on 13 hits and three walks in just 8 2/3 innings. Hand wound up being designated for assignment in August and claimed by the Mets, where he turned things around to an extent: seven runs (four earned) on a dozen hits and five walks with 14 strikeouts in 13 1/3 innings.

All told, hand’s 2021 season concluded with a respectable 3.90 ERA that was a ways north of the combined 2.70 ERA he logged during a 2016-20 stretch that was punctuated by three All-Star nods. Last year’s 21.9% strikeout rate was far and away his lowest since moving to the bullpen on a full-time basis in 2016, and his 9.4% walk rate was the second worst mark Hand has posted since that conversion to relief work. It wasn’t all bad news for Hand, as his average fastball velocity rebounded to 93.3 mph after dipping to 91.5 mph in 2020; from 2016-19, Hand averaged 93.4 mph on his fastball, so last year’s mark is right in line with Hand’s velocity from his peak performance.

Hand would join the aforementioned Knebel and Familia in occupying a late-inning role in Joe Girardi’s bullpen. He’d also give the Phils a third lefty option alongside fireballing Jose Alvarado and waiver claim Ryan Sherriff. Right-handers Seranthony Dominguez, Sam Coonrod, Connor Brogdon and Nick Nelson are among the options who could round out the relief corps if a deal to bring Hand into the fold ultimately does come to fruition. The Phillies currently project for a payroll around $200MM, and they’re well south of the new $230MM first tier of luxury-tax penalization.

Phillies Searching For Outfielders

By TC Zencka | March 13, 2022 at 8:40am CDT

In reigning National League MVP Bryce Harper – a two-time winner of the award – the Phillies have a solid base for putting together a top-shelf outfield. Of course, they still need two more bodies (or more) to help Mr. Harper patrol the grass, and the list of available names is about to start dwindling quickly. Already, in fact, they’re dealing with a depleted free-agent pool.

But it’s not barren, and there’s time yet for the Phillies to construct a competent trio in the outfield of Citizens Bank Park. By all accounts, they’re on the hunt for Harper’s next running mates. Nick Castellanos is the top pure outfielder remaining, and the Phillies have indeed checked in on him, per Jon Morosi of MLB Network (via Twitter). Morosi notes that Phillies president of baseball ops Dave Dombrowski ran the show in Detroit when Castellanos was drafted, so there’s certainly some history there.

Castellanos – a first-time All-Star with the Reds last season – would certainly bring much-needed thunder to a lineup that ranked 13th in MLB by the measure of runs scored in 2021. The former Tiger, Cub, and Red hit .309/.362/.576 with 34 home runs and a clean 100 RBIs last year, good for a robust 140 wRC+.

Of course, defense was a bit of a bugaboo for Joe Girardi’s club, and Castellanos isn’t traditionally known for his merits in that department. The DH would be an option, though Rhys Hoskins is already a candidate for that role. Furthermore, Girardo will almost certainly want to earmark some of those ABs as a means for keeping Harper and J.T. Realmuto fresh.

In addition, the Phillies have been in recent contact with their on-again-off-again centerfielder Odubel Herrera, per Jim Salisbury of NBCSPhilly (via Twitter). Herrera posted 1.8 rWAR/1.1 fWAR last year as a regular in center, logging 492 trips to the dish across 124 games.

Herrera doesn’t walk a ton (5.9 percent walk rate), and his power clocks in below-average (.156 ISO), but he put the ball in play at a career-best rate last year, striking out in just 15.7 percent of his plate appearances. All in all, his bat was seven percent below average, which is absolutely palatable for a decent gloveman in center – and Herrera was that in 2021.

The Fielding Bible credited him with 2 total runs saved, while he rated decently in other systems as well (2 DRS, -1.2 UZR). Even if Herrera just holds the line in center, that might be enough for the Phils to seek a reunion. There are very few options on the free-agent market, and leaguewide, centerfield has become one of the more difficult positions to fill.

Without Herrera and Castellanos (or other additions), the Phillies have just unproven youngsters like Mickey Moniak and Adam Haseley on the roster. Roman Quinn has departed, while other members of Philly’s 2021 offense Andrew McCutchen and Brad Miller are still free agents. Utility players Johan Camargo and Luke Williams are internal options, but not realistically for regular playing time.

Elsewhere in the organization, 25-year-old Matt Vierling might be a game-by-game option in the grass, while the top prospective minor leaguers on the depth chart are non-roster invitee Justin Williams and 23-year-old prospect Simon Muzziotti, who has just 50 plate appearances above High-A.

Phillies Interested In Matt Chapman

By Mark Polishuk | March 12, 2022 at 10:01pm CDT

The Phillies have shown interest in A’s third baseman Matt Chapman, but unsurprisingly, the Athletics have put a big price tag on the Gold Glover. In exchange for Chapman, Oakland is asking for one of the Phillies’ top prospects as the centerpiece of a trade package, Alex Coffey of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports, with such names as shortstop Bryson Stott or right-handers Mick Abel and Andrew Painter mentioned as the caliber of prospect the Athletics would have in mind.

Since Philadelphia’s farm system is short on premium talent, naturally the “Phillies have been reluctant to” part with any of their best youngsters in a Chapman deal, Coffey writes. President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski has a long history of trading quality minor league talent for proven big leaguers, however, and it is possible that giving up another blue-chip prospect would simply be the necessary cost to pry Chapman away from the A’s.

While the Athletics’ payroll-cutting endeavors have already begun with tonight’s Chris Bassitt trade with the Mets (a Phillies NL East rival, no less), Billy Beane’s front office isn’t going to move Chapman for pure salary-dump purposes. At his best, Chapman has shown he is one of the game’s best all-around players, combining consistently superb third base defense with some big offensive numbers, particularly in 2018 and 2019. Over the last two years, however, Chapman’s average and OBP totals have dropped off, while his strikeouts have ballooned — Chapman’s 33.1% strikeout rate is the third-highest of any qualified hitter in baseball since the start of the 2020 season.

The Phillies and other trade suitors (the Yankees and Mariners have been linked to Chapman earlier this winter) could use this downturn to try and negotiate a lesser trade return for the third baseman, yet that tactic might not work given the amount of interest in his services. Chapman is projected for a $9.5MM salary in 2022 and also has another arbitration year remaining in 2023, with that extra control only adding to the Athletics’ high asking price.

Alec Bohm (himself a former top prospect) is penciled into Philadelphia’s third base role for Opening Day, though Bohm’s defensive struggles have already led to speculation that a position change could be in his future. Bohm’s lack of production at the plate in 2021 also didn’t help his cause, even if countless players have dealt with the so-called sophomore slump. Theoretically, the Phillies could acquire Chapman and then move Bohm across the diamond into a first base/DH split with Rhys Hoskins, though such a move would then lock up the Phils’ DH spot.

Stott is also a factor in the team’s infield plans, as the 14th overall pick of the 2019 draft has been viewed as a candidate to both make his MLB debut in 2022, and also immediately step into a regular role. This could be as a shortstop if Didi Gregorius is traded, perhaps at second base if the Phillies opted to instead deal Jean Segura, or maybe even at the hot corner, if the Phillies decide to switch Bohm’s position even without acquiring a proven veteran like Chapman. While the Phillies surely also prize Abel and Painter, it would seem on paper that Stott might be the most untouchable of the trio, given Stott’s importance to Philadelphia’s infield plans.

Phillies To Sign Jeurys Familia

By Anthony Franco | March 12, 2022 at 7:25pm CDT

The Phillies are in agreement with reliever Jeurys Familia, pending a physical, reports Robert Murray of FanSided (Twitter link). It’s a one-year, $6MM guarantee for the ACES client, reports Mike Puma of the New York Post (Twitter links). The deal also contains an additional $1MM in possible incentives.

Familia has a solid track record throughout his ten-year MLB career. He owns six seasons with at least 20+ innings of sub-4.00 ERA ball, including a three-year peak when he was one of the top late-game arms in baseball. Familia was a dominant option for the Mets from 2014-16, including a league-best 51-save 2016 campaign. The righty’s strikeout rates were good but not elite; instead, he thrived on racking up ground-balls at a massive clip.

Since that prime, Familia’s performance has fluctuated. He followed up a solid 2018 showing with a rocky campaign. Familia’s run prevention in 2020 (3.71 ERA in 26 2/3 innings) was alright, but his strikeout and walk numbers that year were dismal. His ERA ticked up a bit to 3.94 last season, but Familia’s K/BB rates were better. He punched out an impressive 27.5% of opponents; his 10.3% walk rate remained a bit high, but it marked a notable improvement over the prior year’s 15.8% mark.

As he has throughout his career, Familia did a nice job keeping the ball on the ground. Last year’s 51% rate wasn’t at his peak levels, but it’s still far above the 43.1% league average for bullpen arms. That’s no doubt of appeal to a Philadelphia team that plays in one of the league’s most hitter-friendly home ballparks. Familia’s home run rate spiked a bit last season, but he’s traditionally been excellent at keeping the ball in the yard.

He was also one of the hardest throwers remaining on the free agent market. Familia averaged 97.3 MPH on his heater last season, and he’ll give skipper Joe Girardi another power arm he can rely upon late in games. It’s possible the 32-year-old even picks up some save opportunities. He’s worked in the middle innings over the past few seasons, but he’d obviously shown himself capable of having success in the ninth earlier in his career. At present, fellow offseason signee Corey Knebel seems the favorite for saves, but the Phils didn’t promise him the closer’s role when they added him before the lockout. If Girardi prefers to use Knebel in high-leverage work earlier in games, Familia could be an option to pick up some ninth-inning time.

Of course, it’s also possible the Phillies make another bullpen pickup or two in the coming weeks. Philadelphia’s troubles holding leads in recent years have been well-documented. Last year, Phillie relievers tied with the Nationals for the league lead in blown saves (34). The Phils have seen Héctor Neris and Archie Bradley hit free agency (Bradley remains unsigned), leaving Connor Brogdon as the only returning bullpen arm who tossed 20+ innings with a sub-4.00 ERA.

The Phillies created a spot on the 40-man roster this evening by placing left-hander JoJo Romero on the 60-day injured list. The 25-year-old underwent Tommy John surgery last May; given the timeline of that procedure, it’s no surprise he’ll miss at least the first two months of the season.

Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.

Phillies Hire Sean Rodriguez As Player Development Instructor

By Mark Polishuk | March 11, 2022 at 12:08pm CDT

Veteran utilityman Sean Rodriguez is taking on a new job, as MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki reports that Rodriguez has been hired by the Phillies as a player development instructor. The move brings an end to the 36-year-old Rodriguez’s playing career after 18 professional seasons, including parts of 13 Major League seasons from 2008-20.

Rodriguez hit .226/.301/.379 with 81 homers over 2913 MLB plate appearances. Originally a third-round pick for the Angels in the 2003 draft, Rodriguez went on to play for six different teams in the bigs, with the majority of his 1103 career games coming with the Rays (553 games) and Pirates (384 games).

No matter the uniform, Rodriguez made himself valuable due to his ability to play virtually anywhere on the diamond. Second base was the most common of his many positions, though Rodriguez made at least 27 appearances at every position except catcher and pitcher throughout his career, and he even made a couple of mop-up appearances as a reliever in 2019.

Those two mound appearances came when Rodriguez was a member of the Phillies in 2019, as he played 76 games with the club and hit .223/.348/.375 with four home runs over 139 PA. One of those homers made Rodriguez something of an infamous figure among Philadelphia fans, Zolecki notes. Rodriguez hit a walkoff home run to lift the Phils to a 6-5 win over the Pirates on August 26, 2019, though in a postgame interview, Rodriguez described Phillies fans as “entitled.”

Discussing the incident with Zolecki, Rodriguez said that “Philly fans are just as passionate about baseball as I am. I was doing my best to try to defend two stars on our team, seeing if I couldn’t alleviate some pressure on them. It is a little funny that I’m back, but Phillies fans are passionate and I’m a passionate player.”

Rodriguez moved on from Philadelphia to sign a minor league deal with the Marlins in the 2019-20 offseason, and he played four games with Miami during the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign. Rodriguez’s time on the Marlins’ big league roster was further limited by an extended stint on the injured list, as Rodriguez joined many other Miami players in being sidelined by a COVID-19 outbreak in the clubhouse.

Rodriguez will now move into the next phase of his baseball career on the instructional side, operating at the Phillies’ camp in Clearwater year-round and working with the organization’s minor leaguers on infield work and baserunning. We at MLB Trade Rumors congratulate Rodriguez on a fine playing career and we wish him the best in his new role.

Phillies To Sign Aaron Barrett, John Andreoli To Minor League Deals

By Steve Adams | March 9, 2022 at 8:55am CDT

The Phillies are expected to finalize minor league contracts with righty Aaron Barrett and outfielder John Andreoli in the near future, per MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki (Twitter link). Neither deal has been formally announced just yet, though the Barrett indicated on Twitter that he has indeed reached a deal with the Phils.

Barrett, 34, has spent his entire professional career in the Nationals organization prior to inking this deal. The former ninth-round pick was well on his way to solidifying himself as a quality big league reliever in 2014-15, pitching 70 innings of 3.47 ERA ball with a 28.3% strikeout rate and a 9.1% walk rate out of the Nats’ bullpen over that pair of seasons. That’s a strong strikeout rate even by today’s standards, but it was all the more impressive in 2014-15,when the leaguewide rate was about three percentage points lower than present levels.

The 2016 season was a lost one for Barrett, however, as he missed the year after undergoing Tommy John surgery (and having bone spurs removed from his elbow as well). After nearly a year of rehabbing the injury, Barrett suffered a far more gruesome injury in 2017, when he broke the humerus bone in his right arm in a rehab appearance with the Nats’ Triple-A club. Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post detailed the scene and the surgery required to repair that injury, which renowned surgeon Dr. James Andrews likened to a traumatic injury more akin to one sustained in a severe car crash.

Barrett missed the 2018 season recovering from that surgery but never gave up on his goal of returning to the big leagues. The emotional video of Double-A manager Matt LeCroy informing Barrett that he was going back to the Majors in 2019 went viral (and is still a must-watch for baseball fans who did not see at the time), and Barrett’s similarly emotional return to the mound (video link) was one of the better moments along the way during Washington’s Cinderella run to the 2019 World Series title.

While he’s still only pitched four big league innings since making it back to the show in 2019, Barrett had a strong 2021 season in the minors with the Nats. He again spent considerable time on the injured list but posted a 2.13 ERA through 38 innings across three levels when healthy.

As for the 31-year-old Andreoli, he’s appeared in two big league seasons, seeing time with the Orioles and Mariners in 2018 before a brief seven-game stint with the Padres in 2021. He only has 74 big league plate appearances, during which he’s batted .224/.284/.269. Those have come in scattered and inconsistent fashion, however, and Andreoli has a track record of posting big on-base percentages in the upper minors, as evidenced by a career .258/.373/.414 slash in more than 2600 Triple-A plate appearances. He’s walked in 14.8% of his plate appearances in Triple-A — albeit against a 26% strikeout rate. Andreoli has more than 2000 innings of professional experience at all three outfield positions: 3127 in left field, 2546 in center and 2130 in right.

Phillies Sign Justin Williams, Four Others To Minor League Deals

By Steve Adams | March 8, 2022 at 8:41am CDT

The Phillies have signed former Cardinals outfielder Justin Williams to a minor league contract, according to the team’s transactions log at MLB.com. The Roc Nation Sports client has been invited to big league camp, whenever Spring Training gets underway. He was eligible to sign during the lockout by virtue of going unclaimed on outright waivers and electing minor league free agency at the end of the 2021 season.

Also joining the organization are right-hander James Marvel, infielder Drew Maggi, catcher Karl Ellison and first baseman Joe Genord. There are no Major League Spring Training invites listed for that quartet, though Marvel, who has some limited MLB experience, and minor league veteran Maggi could still end up there down the line.

Williams, 26, is the most notable name of the bunch. The former second-round pick (D-backs, 2013) has been involved in a pair of notable trades in the past — first going from Arizona to Tampa Bay in exchange for Jeremy Hellickson and second going from Tampa to St. Louis as one of the headliners in the Tommy Pham deal. Williams was a well-regarded prospect at all three stops and has had plenty of minor league success, but he’s yet to put things together in the big leagues.

With the Rays, Williams received only one lone plate appearance in 2018, and it wasn’t until this past season in 2021, when he received any kind of real look in St. Louis. The Cards gave him 137 plate appearances over the course of 51 games in ’21, but Williams batted just .160/.270/.261 while fanning in a third of his plate appearances. Williams walked in 12.4% of those plate appearances, however, and when he did make contact, it was quite loud. His 92.1 mph average exit velocity is excellent, and 52.1% of his batted balls had at least a 95 mph exit velocity.

Williams hits the ball on the ground too often, but his penchant for hard contact has been interesting to scouts throughout his minor league tenure. The grounder-heavy output at the plate has limited him to a career-high 14 home runs, but he’s a career .294/.340/.438 hitter in the minors — including a .272/.330/.442 slash in parts of three Triple-A seasons. Defensively, he’s limited to the outfield corners and posted roughly average marks in 294 innings last year (+1 DRS, -0.5 UZR, -1 OAA).

Turning to the 28-year-old Marvel, he’s spent his entire pro career to date with the Pirates organization, who called him up to the big leagues and gave him four starts during the 2019 season. That brief cup of coffee didn’t go well, as Marvel was tagged for 16 runs in 17 1/3 innings while posting just a 9-to-6 K/BB ratio.

Marvel had a terrific minor league season in 2019, pitching to a combined 2.94 ERA in 162 1/3 frames between Double-A and Triple-A, but he was nevertheless passed through waivers at the end of the season. He didn’t make the Pirates’ 60-man player pool in 2020, and he struggled in his return effort in Triple-A in 2021, logging a 5.26 ERA in 131 2/3 frames. Even with that rough ’21 campaign, Marvel has a career 4.45 ERA in Triple-A and a career 3.82 mark through the minors as a whole. He doesn’t throw particularly hard or miss many bats, but Marvel typically registers grounder rates around 50% with low walk rates.

The 32-year-old Maggi nearly made his MLB debut with the Twins last season. However, after selecting Maggi’s contract late in September, Minnesota surprisingly did not give the 11-year minor league veteran the opportunity to get into a game and make that long-awaited debut. It was an unfortunate footnote in a generally dismal Twins season. Maggi, who has ample experience at shortstop, third base and second base, is a career .263/.362/.401 hitter in parts of five Triple-A seasons and will hope to finally step into a big league game at some point with the Phils this season.

Genord, 25, was the Mets’ ninth-round pick as recently as 2019 but was released last August after hitting .203/.264/.353 in 227 plate appearances at the High-A level, where he was already older than the average competition he was facing. Ellison, 26, went undrafted out of college and has spent two seasons with the independent Lake Erie Crushers of the Frontier League. He hit .256/.303/.422 there last season.

Jake Elmore Accepts Minor League Coaching Role With Phillies

By Anthony Franco | February 22, 2022 at 8:34pm CDT

The Phillies announced their minor league coaching staffs this afternoon. Among the hirings was the news that former big league utilityman Jake Elmore has accepted a role as hitting coach of the club’s Low-A affiliate in Clearwater.

The transition to coaching marks the end of the 34-year-old’s playing career. Elmore was selected by the Diamondbacks in the 34th round of the 2008 draft out of Arizona State. Despite that lack of amateur prospect pedigree, the right-handed hitter progressed up the minor league ladder and reached the majors in 2012. Elmore would log some big league action in each of the following four seasons as well, bouncing between the D-Backs, Astros, Reds, Rays and Brewers.

Elmore spent the 2017-18 seasons in Triple-A but returned to the majors for a bit with the Pirates in 2019. That proved his final major league experience, as the Alabama native spent 2020 at the Indians’ alternate training site and wrapped up his career with fifteen games for the Phils’ top affiliate in Lehigh Valley last season.

Altogether, Elmore suited up in parts of six big league seasons and tallied 527 plate appearances over 217 games. He hit .215/.292/.275 with four home runs and four stolen bases. Valued primarily for his defensive versatility, Elmore started games at all four infield spots and each of the three outfield positions during his big league run. He played nine years at Triple-A as part of a professional career that spanned 15 seasons, hitting .293/.389/.380 at the minors’ highest level. MLBTR congratulates Elmore on his lengthy run in pro ball and wishes him the best in his coaching career.

Quick Hits: Pitcher Usage, Reds, Phillies, McGarry, Catchers

By Mark Polishuk | February 19, 2022 at 8:04pm CDT

“I have greater concern probably this year about our pitching health than I did last year,” Reds VP of player development Shawn Pender told The Cincinnati Enquirer’s Bobby Nightengale and other reporters about the club’s minor league hurlers. After the canceled 2020 minor league season and a shortened 2021 minor league season, there really isn’t any sense of normality in 2022, especially since the Triple-A schedule will actually be longer than usual. Returning pitching prospects to their old routine isn’t feasible after two seasons of a staggered or non-existent workload, especially since many of the younger arms entering the minor league ranks over the last two years have never really had any sort of set routine.

How teams plan to deal with this issue will vary from organization to organization, but the Reds’ plan for the moment is to have 16-17 pitchers available at each minor league level, either on an active roster or on a developmental list to act as extra depth. Many of the youngest (under age-23) pitchers in Cincinnati’s system have yet to arrive at early minor league camp, as Pender said the team is thus far focusing on its more experienced minor league pitchers “so we give them more of an opportunity to build up properly under our watch as opposed to sending them directions about things we want them to do.” In general, the Reds’ minor league relievers are all being prepared for multi-inning relief outings or even short, opener-style starts, to give extra cover to the regular starting pitchers as they continue to build up their workloads.

Phillies Notes: Stott, Mattingly, Player Development, Bench

By Mark Polishuk | February 17, 2022 at 10:34am CDT

Bryson Stott is expected to make his MLB debut in 2022, with the Phillies hoping that the top prospect can provide some immediate help to a lineup that both has plenty of holes, and is in need of a youth infusion. Stott has spent most of his two pro seasons at shortstop, but “if I have to move over [to another position], it is what it is,” Stott told NBC Sports’ Jim Salisbury and other reporters. “I just want to do anything I can do to get to Philadelphia and help that city and that team win. So whatever it may be, if it’s short or anywhere else, it’s obviously not up to me.”

Stott has also seen action at second and third base during his time in the minors, giving the Phillies some flexibility in determining both his eventual everyday role and what they might pursue roster-wise once the lockout is over. Second baseman Jean Segura is entering the last year of his contract and third baseman Alec Bohm is looking to bounce back from a rough 2021, and might not stick at third base over the long term anyway. It is also possible Stott might simply remain at shortstop, given how president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said back in October that incumbent Didi Gregorius wasn’t a guaranteed to even return in 2022, let alone remain the starting shortstop. The Phillies will benefit from some extra time to monitor Stott during ongoing minor league minicamps and minor league spring camp next month, as Stott isn’t locked out since he isn’t yet on Philadelphia’s 40-man roster.

More from the City of Brotherly Love….

A breakout performance from Stott would be a nice win for a Phillies organization has had well-documented issues in drafting and developing players who eventually contribute at the big league level. Newly-hired player development director Preston Mattingly has a lot of work ahead in turning things around, though Mattingly told MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki and other reporters that “our system’s a lot deeper than people give it credit….I’ve had the pleasure of seeing a bunch of other teams’ top guys, and I think the guys in our system stack up with those guys. They don’t get the recognition that others do.” In the first months of his tenure, Mattingly has prioritized improving communication within the organization and throughout the different levels of the minor leagues, focusing on making sure that “everybody has the same message when it goes from staff to players…getting everybody with a consistent message going in the same direction” and also that the players themselves are well-informed about the team’s plans. As Mattingly put it, “it’s all a team effort, right? The players, the staff — it’s a two-way street. We got to work together; it’s their career, we’re trying to help them in any way possible.”
Bench depth and pinch-hitting are both areas of need for the Phillies to address after the lockout, as The Athletic’s Matt Gelb notes that the team got very little pop from their pinch-hitters in 2021. The likely introduction of the universal DH will create the need for more position-player help, as Gelb indicates that the Phillies are going to rotate their everyday starters through the DH position rather than have a regular designated hitter.

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