The Philadelphia Phillies are 36-23, now 1.5 games behind the New York Mets in a competitive NL East. This team clearly has what it takes to contend, but a rough week has put a spotlight on what doesn't work. Primarily the bullpen.
We know this Phillies offense can rake. We know the starting rotation is beyond reproach. But the bullpen continues to underperform, which makes it tough to win games when the offense lulls. It could also prove disastrous once the playoffs roll around, just like it did last October.
ESPN's Jeff Passan highlighted the bullpen as Philadelphia's biggest trade deadline need — and his explanation will have Phillies fans worried about how, or if, things can actually get better.
"Maybe it's (Pete) Fairbanks. Maybe it's (Kyle) Finnegan. Maybe it's both," Passan writes. "Or even more. The Phillies' bullpen has been one of the worst in baseball. Even if it was much better in May, their only reliever with a sub-3.00 ERA was Orion Kerkering. And with Jose Alvarado down for 80 games and out for the postseason following a PED suspension, the need for help is that much more grave."
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Phillies' bullpen weakness could hold them back from World Series pursuit
As Passan notes, Philly's bullpen was the primary force behind an early exit in the 2024 playoffs. Much has changed in the last few months, but the National League is stronger, not weaker. It's the opposite for the Phillies bullpen, which lost Jeff Hoffman and Carlos Estévez to free agency, and now José Alvarado to an 80-game PED suspension, which disqualifies him from the postseason.
Philadelphia can feel reasonably good about Matt Straham, Orion Kerkering and Jordan Romano, but none of them are shutdown, knockout options to close games. The Phillies are another high-end reliever or two from remotely solving this issue.
Unfortunately, the expectation of aggressiveness at recent trade deadlines has far exceed the actual aggression displayed by the front office. Dave Dombrowski made his name on bold transactions and a high risk tolerance, but it seems like Philly's hefty cap sheet has finally caught up to him. There's a reason Hoffman wasn't re-signed, even when he ended up on a discount after faulty medicals. The Phillies just don't want to spend the money — or the prospect capital — necessary to substantially upgrade this roster.
Maybe that changes at the deadline, as there's more pressure than ever for Philly to deliver on its World Series aspirations. This is an aging core and Kyle Schwarber, their best hitter this season, is a free agent in a few months. His return is by no means a guarantee, and it's unclear how many more Cy Young-worthy campaigns Zack Wheeler has in the tank. We've already starting to see signs of decline with Aaron Nola, whose in the second year of a seven-year contract.
If the Phillies don't operate with the necessary urgency at the trade deadline, this bullpen will continue to lag behind other NL heavyweights. While Philadelphia's starting rotation gives it a leg up in the playoffs, a bad bullpen can undermine that advantage in a blink. Until we see multiple high-leverage arms added to Philly's bullpen collective, this feels like a real source of skepticism.