Philadelphia Phillies Closer Job Up for Grabs
By Tim Boyle
The Philadelphia Phillies haven’t officially settled on a closer for the 2017 season, but they have several options already on the roster. Which would be the best choice?
The Philadelphia Phillies’ closer job is up for grabs. As one of the loneliest jobs in Philadelphia sports, there are not many lining up to win the role. The pressure that comes with it has cracked talented pitchers before such as Billy Wagner and, more recently, Jonathan Papelbon.
This offseason has been a promising one for Philadelphia. They added veteran bats in both corner outfield positions. Their starting rotation also has talent with Jeremy Hellickson returning and the addition of Clay Buchholz. In the bullpen, there’s even greater improvement.
The Phillies made remarkable strides this offseason in their attempt to build a better relief core. They accomplished this through trades and free agent signings. One result of their actions is a competition for the closer’s job.
Philadelphia remains one of the few teams in baseball without a closer locked in. This doesn’t mean they are lacking choices. In fact, there are several worthy candidates who could become the Phillies’ closer for 2017.