Bullpen balancing:
For the back end of the Phillies pen, left-hander Will Smith is probably in the $10-11 million range after making $4.23 million for his final arbitration season. But would the San Francisco Giants extend him a QO of $17.9 million? Well, they probably won’t risk the chance he’d accept a $13.67 million raise. Pure speculation: no!
The 30-year-old Smith has a 3.00 ERA with 32 saves in 36 opportunities over 60 innings during his 58 appearances. But being a portsider would provide an advantage the Fightins certainly didn’t have in ’19. However, he’s the premier closer on the free-agent market.
Smith’s arsenal:
- Four-seam fastball: 450 for 47.9 percent
with a 93-mph average and a 95.7-mph high. - Slider: 401 for 42.7 percent.
- Curveball: 89 for 9.5 percent.
As for a second late-frame hurler, righty Mychal Givens, 29, of the Baltimore Orioles has two campaigns of team control remaining and would likely work the seventh inning here. But he has a 3.95 ERA with 11 saves during his 50 outings for 54 2/3 frames.
Given’s arsenal:
- Four-seam fastball: 647 for 71.4 percent
with a 95.7-mph average and a 99.5-mph high. - Slider: 140 for 15.5 percent.
- Changeup: 119 for 13.1 percent.
Financially, he’s earning $2.15 million and an increase to $3 million would be a fair raise considering his similar numbers for 2018. Plus Klentak had interest in the flamethrower last July. So, he could be the third option behind Smith and Hector Neris.