Bryce Harper

Three key issues the Philadelphia Phillies must address in the 2021/22 offseason

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The Philadelphia Phillies offseason 2022 will be key. The team hasn’t made the postseason since 2011 and, even though they were knocking on the door for most of this season, it still wasn’t enough.

Dave Dombrowski has shown some signs of wanting to make the right move every now and then. Then again, most of the Phillies trade rumors were always about players that might get out and not stars that they could get in return.

With that in mind, let’s talk about the Phillies’ offseason needs. While some of them might seem obvious, it’s worth noting that this team isn’t that far away from contention. Just a couple of tweaks to their lineup and some reliable arms out of the bullpen and they might become contenders way sooner than people expect.

Phillies offseason 2022: Key Phillies offseason needs

It’s been a while since the Philadelphia Phillies were a legit threat. That could change pretty soon if Dombrowski is willing to spend some money in the offseason, as most of the top-notch free agents could actually solve most of their needs. Let’s break it down.

Bryce Harper needs help

Bryce Harper sure silenced those who doubted whether he was a franchise player or not. He’s coming off an MVP-caliber season. He hit for .309 with 101 runs scored, 84 RBIs, 13 stolen bases, .429 OBP, .615 SLG, and a 1.044 OPS. But he can’t win on his own.

       

The Phillies really need to give Matt Vierling a longer leash at left field. He’s a homegrown talent and he proved that he can be a contributor right away.

Also, they need to demote Andrew McCutchen to a DH or pinch-hitter role as he’s far from the superstar he was during his days in Pittsburgh. Maybe Starling Marte could be a suitable option for them as a free-agent center fielder.

A couple of infield signings

Short-stop was a huge issue for the Philadelphia Phillies this season. They need a vast defensive improvement at that position and will have plenty of options to try and solve that need. Trevor Story, Javier Báez, Carlos Correa, and Corey Seager will all be free agents they should look into signing and there’s no reason to think they couldn’t sign one of them.

Also, while Alec Bohm showed glimpses of great offensive talent during his rookie season, he vastly regressed last year. They need a defensive upgrade at the hot corner, with Kris Bryant being the best possible option for that spot.

       

He’s friends with Bryce Harper, so it’s not far-fetched to think that he could give him a call to solve one of the biggest Phillies’ offseason needs.

Their bullpen needs a massive upgrade

The Philadelphia Phillies bullpen was atrocious last season. They had the second-worst bullpen in baseball history according to Elias Sports Bureau and it just seemed like no lead was safe with them. Despite their solid starting rotation (except Aaron Nola‘s terrible season), their bullpen got them out of games more often than not.

Dave Dombrowski needs to hit the drawing board and start from scratch. The bullpen is their biggest issue and, aside from Hector Néris and rookies Connor Brogdon and JoJo Romero, it seems like no other player should be safe or untouchable.

Obviously, getting this team fixed will require a lot of investing, and that’s the biggest question mark going forward.

The Phils showed they are willing to spend with that massive Bryce Harper contract and by also keeping JT Realmuto. Now, it remains to be seen whether he’s determined to be better right now and make the most of his superstar while he’s still in his prime, or whether the Phillies will spend another decade outside of playoff contention.

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