Spring training is suddenly right around the corner, and while the Phillies have remained pretty quiet since re-signing Aaron Nola to a seven-year deal, there is still a lookout for more pitching depth, even if it doesn’t seem to be all that urgent right now.
“If nothing happened, I’d be pretty happy with where we’re at,” manager Rob Thomson said of the back of the Phillies’ bullpen in particular on Wednesday from the team’s clubhouse at Citizens Bank Park (via PHLY’s John Foley).
“We still have the [Connor Brogdons], the [Andrew Bellattis], and [Yunior Martes], and [Luis Ortiz] down there who have helped us out in the past, so I do like our depth coming out of the bullpen.”
But every club can always use more, especially when they have postseason ambitions.
If the Phillies still have any intentions of upgrading from the outside before the spring, here is a look at 10 names still available on the free-agent market who might be fits…
RH Robert Stephenson
Stephenson started last season with the Pirates but got traded to the Rays in early June, and from the moment he got to Tampa Bay, he was lights out.
In 42 appearances for the Rays across 38.1 innings pitched in 2023, Stephenson posted a 2.35 ERA, a minuscule 0.678 WHIP, and a steep strikeouts per nine rate of 14.1.
The soon to be 31-year old righthander works with a fastball that can touch 97 mph, but he favors an offspeed cutter and slider that can yield some devastating breaks.
He’s improved as a late-inning reliever in the time since, though outside of the closing role he previously held with the Phils, and put in a career year in 2023, posting a 1.71 ERA, a 1.059 WHIP, and a 10.1 strikeout per nine rate through 71 appearances.
The 34-year old certainly had his highs and lows in Philadelphia, but that was back before the Phillies were the contenders they are now, and before Neris developed into the reliever he’s been with the Astros.
Would the timing be good now for a reunion?
Junis can throw a mean slider and, if needed, eat up a few innings.
The 31-year old tossed 86 innings for the Giants last season, and put up a 3.87 ERA with a 10.0 strikeouts per nine rate.
As a former starter, he’d theoretically be a flexible arm who would take up middle-inning scenarios, but could slide up and down as needed – kind of like Matt Strahm.
Staying with the Giants, Brebbia posted a 1.174 WHIP and a 3.99 ERA in 2023 but had a rough September coming back from injury as San Francisco fell out of the Wild Card race.
Still, the 33-year old struck out batters at an 11.0 clip, and if fully healthy, could perhaps be one of the diamond in the rough arms still out there.
Might be another good personality for the clubhouse too.
