By Dexter Foley
The Philadelphia Phillies didn’t exactly have an eventful offseason. However, it wasn’t needed as the roster is constructed exactly how they want it to be. Despite fielding a roster that can contend for a World Series, the team might be buyers at the trade deadline, and recent rumors suggest that they could be aiming at a four-time All-Star.
Bullpen Could Be A Weakness For Philadelphia Phillies
It doesn’t feel outlandish to say that the Phillies bullpen could be their biggest weakness, even if it’s very talented. This is why they could be intrigued by the possibility of adding Kenley Jansen, a former four-time All-Star and current member of the Boston Red Sox. Jansen got linked to the Phillies a few times in the past few months, but nothing wound up happening with those. That could very well be the case here as well, though the team is definitely interested in adding him.
The Red Sox could be thinking of moving on from a few of their players after a horrible offseason of their own. An offseason that even had their own players wondering what the direction of the club was. This could force them to move Jansen and try to acquire future assets. For the Phillies, Jansen wouldn’t be a huge ask either, because he’s in the final year of his contract before entering free agency. A deal feels like it could be easier for both teams.
Jansen Is A Possible Improvement
Now, there are a lot of people out there that don’t exactly believe Jansen would be a good addition for the Phillies considering his poor reputation. However, the stats look fairly good. He’s converted 87 percent of his save opportunities in the last three seasons, 108 out of his 124 chances. Philadelphia’s current player at Jansen’s position is Craig Kimbrel, who had an 82 percent save rate in that same span. Jansen could end up being a statistical upgrade.
Unfortunately, the Phillies won’t be the only team in the running to try and pry Jansen away from the Red Sox. It certainly seems like the Red Sox will be able to field offers from a number of different teams, and that could wind up increasing their asking price for him. Something that the Phillies don’t want to hear considering how their roster is built to win right now. This is going to be something worth monitoring throughout the year.
