Intriguing position battles shaping up in Philly
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This story was excerpted from Todd Zolecki¡¯s Phillies Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
Last July, the Phillies got Austin Hays in a trade with Baltimore because they wanted another outfielder who could crush left-handed pitching, particularly in the postseason.
It didn¡¯t work out. Hays got hurt, then suffered a kidney infection. He wasn¡¯t the same when he returned. He didn¡¯t even start Game 4 of the National League Division Series against the Mets, who started left-hander Jos¨¦ Quintana.
The Phillies non-tendered Hays in November and then signed left-handed-hitting Max Kepler in December to be their left fielder.
Hays agreed to a one-year, $5 million contract with the Reds on Tuesday.
The Phillies think Kepler can play every day, but if he struggles against left-handed pitching, who will help?
We know the Phillies¡¯ projected Opening Day lineup: catcher J.T. Realmuto, first baseman Bryce Harper, second baseman Bryson Stott, third baseman Alec Bohm, shortstop Trea Turner, Kepler, center fielder Brandon Marsh, right fielder Nick Castellanos and designated hitter Kyle Schwarber.
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It leaves four bench jobs: Rafael March¨¢n and Garrett Stubbs will compete to be Realmuto¡¯s backup. March¨¢n is out of options, giving him an edge. Infielder Edmundo Sosa is a lock. Johan Rojas has the inside track to be the No. 4 outfielder.
It leaves one job, unless the Phillies open the season with a seven-man bullpen.
Three candidates for the last bench spot were in Philadelphia last week: Kody Clemens, Buddy Kennedy and Weston Wilson.
Clemens and Kennedy are out of options, which is always an important consideration when constructing a 26-man roster.
Wilson, meanwhile, has options. But Wilson also hits right-handed, like Kennedy. Clemens, meanwhile, hits left-handed.
If the Phillies believe they need another right-handed bat to balance the roster and start occasionally in left against a tough lefty, Wilson probably has the edge over other candidates. He batted .284 with three home runs, 10 RBIs and an .836 OPS over 98 plate appearances last season. He has a 1.096 OPS in 60 career big-league plate appearances against lefties.
¡°It¡¯s the same as every year for me,¡± Wilson said. ¡°I come into camp, play my hardest, try to win a job. Not looking too much into it. Things can change. Just going to go out there and play hard. Obviously making the Opening Day roster is the goal, but whatever I can do to help this team win.¡±
Clemens batted .219 with five homers, 18 RBIs and a .705 OPS in 120 plate appearances last season. But he had big hits, including a walk-off hit in September against the Rays.
He batted .300 with a .783 OPS in 21 plate appearances against lefties.
Clemens appears to be in a difficult spot, but the Phillies could elect to preserve their 40-man roster depth and open the season with him, knowing they won¡¯t lose Wilson if he doesn¡¯t make the team.
Clemens understands the situation.
¡°I go into every Spring Training thinking the same thing,¡± he said. ¡°Just keep my head down and work hard and get prepared for the season, whatever that entails. Right? I¡¯m just going to go down to spring and do what I always do and just try to stay level-headed and try to make the team, however that looks. We¡¯ll see what happens.
¡°I feel like I¡¯ve spent good quality time with this team over the past two seasons and have come up big in certain spots. I think I¡¯m seasoned with the Phillies. I¡¯m sure that they know that as well.¡±
Roster battles like this won¡¯t make national headlines, but they go a long way in determining a team¡¯s success over the course of a 162-game season. The final bench job, like the final job in the bullpen, is worth following this spring.