Phillies: GM’s double-barreled trades and signings
By Tal Venada
Relief spells victory:
Entering ’18, the Phillies had Hector Neris, Luis Garcia and Adam Morgan at the back end of the pen, but Klentak needed a solid setup man. And, again, the exec added two hurlers, but this time Neshek and Hunter were relievers.
Yes, Klentak re-signed Neshek after trading him to the Colorado Rockies the previous July. But the right-hander entered 2018 on the DL due to a right shoulder strain before making his first appearance on July 1. So keep in mind, he was excellent for half a season.
2018 results:
- Neshek: 30 Gms., 24 1/3 Inn., a 2.59 ERA, 5 Saves and 6 Holds.
- Hunter: 65 Gms., 64 Inn., a 3.80 ERA, 4 Saves and 25 Holds.
As for Hunter, he had a 3.80 ERA overall and a 3.00 ERA in the second half. And since fans weren’t expecting David Robertson numbers, Hunter qualifies as a front-office success. So, 2018’s result was 1.5 out of two, but for his three campaigns Klentak had acceptable outcomes in 2.5 out of six for his goal of three.
Regarding ’19, the situation is far different than a year ago due to Seranthony Dominguez‘s arrival, Neris’ dramatic improvement after his reactivation, and Robertson’s signing. Plus Victor Arano‘s emergence is another breakthrough for the relief corps. Ergo, Neshek and Hunter are available after one summer.
2018 stats:
- Pazos: 60 Gms., 50 Inn., a 2.88 ERA and 19 Holds.
- Alvarez: 76 Gms., 63 Inn., a 2.71 ERA and 14 Holds.
Klentak acquired portside relievers Pazos and Alvarez for his fourth season with the same method: one to be healthy and effective. To date, the exec had one of two in ’16, zero of two in ’17 and 1.5 of two in ’18. But what do many always expect of a real GM? Two for two!