Catcher J.T. Realmuto’s deal is done. The deals for shortstop Didi Gregorius and left-handed starter Matt Moore are being finalized and will be announced soon.
So what’s next for the Phillies?
“Pitching continues to be something that’s a focus not only with guys on the big-league roster but non-roster invitees that we like, that we think may have a chance to help us, particularly in the bullpen,” Dave Dombrowski, the team’s president of baseball ops, said Monday. “And we also continue to look at our bench.”
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Dombrowski did not wait long to add some non-roster pitching candidates. On Tuesday, the club announced minor-league deals with three right-handers, Bryan Mitchell, Hector Rondon and David Paulino. All will get a look in big-league spring training, which is scheduled to begin in two weeks in Clearwater.
Mitchell, Rondon and Paulino all have pitched in the majors. Of the trio, Rondon might be the most interesting. He has pitched for the Cubs, Astros and Diamondbacks in an eight-year career and sports a 3.49 ERA in 444 games. Rondon struggled with Arizona last season, giving up 25 hits and 18 runs in 20 innings, but he did strike out 10.4 batters per nine innings.
As for the bench, an interesting name has emerged as a possibility. According to major-league sources, the Phils have shown some interest in veteran utility man Marwin Gonzalez.
Gonzalez, who turns 32 in March, has appeared at every position on the diamond except catcher and pitcher over a nine-year career. From 2015 to 2019, he hit .269 with a .765 OPS while averaging 484 plate appearances, 24 doubles, 16 homers and 60 RBIs for Houston and Minnesota.
MLB
The Phillies have two unsettled spots in their everyday eight – second base and center field. When it all shakes out, Jean Segura, unless he’s traded, could be the regular second baseman with Scott Kingery sliding into a super-utility role or getting time in center field. The Phils also have Adam Haseley and Roman Quinn capable of playing center field and there’s a possibility that Odubel Herrera will be invited to big-league camp and compete for the job. All of this could impact the makeup of the Phils’ bench.
Nonetheless, Gonzalez remains an interesting possibility because he can switch-hit and he’s played extensively at first base, a position where the Phils lack a legitimate backup to Rhys Hoskins. Realmuto and Alec Bohm can both play the position, but, of course, they are needed elsewhere.
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