The 2020 season ended on a sour note for the Philadelphia Phillies. The Tampa Bay Rays completed a three-game sweep on Sunday and ensured that the Phillies will miss the playoffs for a 9th straight year. Almost two years removed from the now-infamous “stupid money” quote, Phillies principal owner John Middleton’s reluctance to go over the luxury tax crippled the team chances to make a playoff run. With a bullpen that ranked among the worst ever and star catcher J.T. Realmuto scheduled to hit free agency, the Phillies have an era-defining offseason coming up.
What went wrong
Even with three extra playoff spots in each league, the Phillies failed to make the playoffs. With the Chicago White Sox, San Diego Padres, and Miami Marlins all qualifying for the 2020 MLB Playoffs, the Phillies now own the second-longest playoff drought in the sport. The easy answer for what went wrong for the Phillies is the bullpen. Phillies relievers had a 7.06 ERA in 2020, which, unsurprisingly, was the worst in the MLB. Midseason acquisitions of Brandon Workman, Heath Hembree, and others proved unsuccessful and the Phillies made a hobby out of blowing leads late in games.
To go along with a terrible bullpen, the Phillies played eight doubleheaders in 2020, one of the highest totals in the league. With only Aaron Nola and Zack Wheeler giving the Phillies consistent starts, the bullpen was needed early and often on days one of the Phillies two aces didn’t toe the rubber.
Rhys Hoskins has always been a streaky hitter. Ever since his debut in 2017 when he hit 18 HRs in 50 games, Hoskins has been prone to go through long streaks, both hot and cold.
Rhys Hoskins IS an alien. ? pic.twitter.com/qiefK95EQV
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) September 15, 2017
For the first three weeks of the season, Hoskins was ice cold. His first home run came on August 18th, and from that day on, Hoskins carried the Phillies offense. In 25 games from August 18th to September 12th, when he strained his UCL, Hoskins hit .265 with 10 HRs and a .991 OPS. The Phillies went 14-11 in those games and seemed destined to finish in a playoff spot. After Hoskins’ injury, the Phillies sputtered to a 5-12 record and failed to make the playoffs.
What needs to happen
The 2020 offseason will be a defining one in Phillies’ history. Bryce Harper is signed for another 11 (ELEVEN!!!) seasons, and he has made his winning intentions clear. With General Manager Matt Klentak rumored to be on the way out, Middleton will be looking for a new GM to construct a roster for Manager Joe Girardi. The first piece of business should be simple. All-Star catcher J.T. Realmuto is eligible for free agency and if the Phillies are smart, they will meet his asking price to ensure he remains in a Phillies uniform for years to come.
Bryce Harper ??
— John Clark (@JClarkNBCS) September 27, 2020
“JT Realmuto needs to be our catcher next year. Plain and simple. He’s the best catcher in baseball. Anybody who is the best at their position hitting and fielding needs to be signed”
Bryce says 2 or 3 teams in NL East will be after him pic.twitter.com/bsDpD35XzC
Bryce Harper has made it abundantly clear that he would like J.T. Realmuto on the team next season and Matt Klentak or his successor should have a new contract for Realmuto at the top of their to-do list.
Fixing the monstrosity that was the bullpen will be a close second on their shopping list. Tommy Hunter, David Robertson, Brandon Workman, and Jose Alvarez are all free agents. The Phillies should only look to bring back Alvarez, who pitched well before an unfortunate (extremely unfortunate) injury ended his season prematurely.
This ball was hit at 105.3 mph. It went off the “thigh” of José Álvarez.
— Bob Wankel (@BobWankelCB) August 20, 2020
Man. pic.twitter.com/oR9g5ufI4y
What Doesn’t Need Fixing
Hector Neris has been effective, although wildly inconsistent, and is under contract for one more season. Blake Parker and Adam Morgan had their ups and downs in 2020 but both are under contract for another season. Connor Brogdon was the Phillies’ most reliable reliever down the stretch allowing 0 ER in 8.2 IP over the final two weeks of the season. The Phillies will be hoping that Brogdon can carry that success over into 2021.
Beyond that, the Phillies have one rotation spot to fill behind Nola, Wheeler, Zach Eflin, and rookie Spencer Howard. Didi Gregorius is the only other position player that is eligible for free agency and his production has earned him a multi-year deal.
The 2020 Philadelphia Phillies had almost all of the pieces necessary to make the playoffs. With a consistent bullpen and JT Realmuto behind the plate in 2021, the Phillies can turn, “Phillies Miss Playoffs for a 9th Straight Year”, into, “Phillies clinch a spot in 2021 MLB Postseason”.
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