Now that the Phillies have officially clinched a spot in the postseason, manager Rob Thomson spoke to reporters (including Alex Coffey of The Philadelphia Inquirer) earlier today about the club’s plans for the postseason roster. Per Coffey, the club appears to be leaning towards a 12-man pitching staff and an expanded bench for the playoffs this year.
Garrett Stubbs, Edmundo Sosa, Kody Clemens, Weston Wilson, and Cal Stevenson currently make up the club’s bench mix. Stubbs and Sosa are all but guaranteed spots on the postseason bench as the club’s backup catcher and primary utility infielder respectively, but if the club plans to utilize a five-man bench in the postseason then there are still three spots up for grabs. In addition to Clemens, Wilson, and Stevenson, Coffey notes that recently-optioned infielder Buddy Kennedy could be in the mix for a spot on the postseason bench as well.
Perhaps most notably, outfielder Austin Hays also figures to factor into the club’s bench conversation this postseason despite having spent the entire month of September to this point on the IL due to a kidney infection. Hays began a rehab assignment at Triple-A earlier today and while that rehab stint only figures to last two days with the Triple-A season set to end tomorrow, Thomson indicated to reporters (including Coffey) that the club isn’t concerned about the lack of in-game reps due to the fact that, if the Phillies secure a bye through the Wild Card round as they currently seem poised to do, Hays would be able to get plenty of at-bats in intra-squad games during that layoff prior to the NLDS.
Hays, 28, started the season with the Orioles but was dealt to the Phillies in the trade that sent right-hander Seranthony Dominguez to Baltimore ahead of the trade deadline back in July. Overall, he’s been a roughly league average bat this year with a .254/.305/.388 slash line (96 wRC+), though he was above average before slumping in Philadelphia as he adjusted to a bench role. With that said, he’s still an excellent source of offense against left-handed pitching, as demonstrated by his sensational 166 wRC+ against southpaws this season. That could make him a perfect platoon partner of sorts for Brandon Marsh, who the Phils have worked to protect from same-handed pitching for much of the year.
If Hays joins Sosa and Stubbs on the club’s bench, that would leave two spots available for the other four names that seem to be in discussion. Stevenson has enjoyed semi-regular playing time in a platoon with Johan Rojas in center field over the past month and could continue in a similar role into the playoffs, while Clemens has the strongest record of the group as a pinch hitter this year and could therefore be an attractive option as well. That being said, both Wilson and Kennedy could be viable alternatives if the club prefers more right-handed options on the bench beyond Sosa and Hays.
Set to join Hays on a rehab assignment tomorrow is right-hander Spencer Turnbull, who MLB.com’s Injury Tracker notes is expected to start the season finale at Triple-A before continuing his rehab at the club’s complex in Florida. It’s a step in the right direction for the 32-year-old, who has been shelved since late June due to a lat strain but could still return to the club during the postseason. The right-hander was nothing short of excellent for the Phillies in a swing role early this year, pitching to a 2.65 ERA with a 3.85 FIP in 54 1/3 innings of work.
Speaking of injured right-handers, Coffey noted that top pitching prospect Andrew Painter could be in the conversation to participate in the Arizona Fall League as he works his way back from Tommy John surgery, per president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski. Painter has been throwing to live hitters in the club’s Florida complex, but Dombrowski noted that the club has avoided making a firm decision on his availability for the AFL so as to not put pressure on the 21-year-old to get ahead of himself in his rehab.
The club’s top pitching prospect and a consensus top-30 prospect in the sport, Painter was in the conversation for the club’s Opening Day roster after a dominant Spring Training last year but ended up undergoing Tommy John surgery before being sidelined by injuries and eventually going under the knife. The youngster figures to be ready to return in time for the 2025 season, but a return this fall in Arizona would be an encouraging development for a youngster who has lost plenty of reps over the past two seasons due to injury.
A big Austin Hays fan.
Sadly, he hasn’t been himself except for brief stretches this year. Numerous aliments.
The other possible players to fill out the playoff roster deserve it more, and likely will produce more as well as give the manager
better options during games.
Hopefully Mr. Hays will come back healthy for 2025 and show Phillies fans the solid, professional player they acquired.
Maybe they deserve it more (I think that’s debatable), but from a pinch hitting perspective, a lefty reliever would be a lot more fearful of Hays than any of the other names mentioned.
myaccount2;
Were he healthy and himself I’d agree with you.
But I’ve watched him hit and field this year and there are too many holes in his game – offensively, defensively, and on the base paths.
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One other thing to keep in mind….
Since he came back after being sent down to AAA to work
on some hitting approaches, Johan Rojas has become a noticeably better hitter. He’s now a tough out. I expect that Rob Thomson will continue to give him more playing time. In fact, I think he’ll hit better than a patched-up Hays will, and he’s easily the best defensive OF that Phillies have.
Successful MLB teams are all about making players they have under contract better. Under Dombrowski the Phillies have done just that with players, else let them go.
Rojas’ obp is .250 over the last 30 days…making an out in 75% of your plate appearances does not qualify as a tough out at the MLB level.
Even a not-himself Hays has an obp 25 points higher since coming to Philly, and against lefties this year his obp is over .400. I’m a huge Rojas fan, more than most Phillies fans I think, but please don’t pretend that there is a universe in which he is a tougher out than Hays or any other member of the Phillies for that matter.
herecomethephillies2018;
That sounds impressive.
Do you realize that even with full-time players that statistic equates to around one more time on base a week?
Sorry, I’ll take a heathy Rojas in the field and on the bases.
We weren’t talking about in the field though, you used the words about Rojas being a tough out. No one with half a brain would argue Hays is a better defender or base runner, but appreciate you trying to frame my post that way.
It is cute how you downplay a stat as “a little more than once a week for full time players” which again, bench role was being discussed, but a hit a week is the difference between a full time player hitting .285 and .235, just so you know. We’re talking about fractions of percentages when comparing these guys. Its not cut and dry, and I think Rojas is a better starter than Hays, but there is no discussion on who is the better hitter right now in their careers, no matter how many times you parse or reword the discussion.
Cute?
You have no clue what a tough out is. You take one statistic and that’s supposed to discredit what I wrote. I’m so tied of that crap on here.
I watch a lot of Phillies games. Rojas could always field and run – it’s what kept him in the majors. He is a totally different hitter since he came back up from the stint in the minors, and if you don’t see that the you aren’t; watching the games…or listening to Tom and John.
You watch his AB against ChC there? L.O.L. Same ol’ Johan at the dish man, but if you want multiple stats you hit it.
First percentile in xwOBA, 1st percentile in xSLG, 6th percentile in avg exit velocity, 5th percentile in barrel %, 1st percentile in sweet spot %, 4th percentile in walks, 12th percentile in chase %…when nearly the entire league is better than you in all of those categories, you think that qualifies as a “tough out”?
Sounds like you’re sick of being called out on ridiculous comments such as “Johan Rojas is a tough out”. Definition of an easy out.
I’ll take stats over what TMac and Kruky have to say. Love those two but they have rose tinted glasses with every player under 30 on the Phils.
I do wonder if his dip is due to not being an everyday player. Some guys are just better as starters than platoon guys.
Why would the article say he crushes left handed pitching while also saying he has a 166 wrc+ against righties? That makes sense, a lot of nonsense
Nobody that isn’t currently on a roster is going to contribute in the playoffs
Turnbull has barely pitched in the bigs for 3 years and his agent, Scott Boras got him a good gig with the Phils this year. Boras is a magician.
Turnbull has pitched well when healthy, and a lengthy TJ rehab is not unusual. He’s also getting a very low cost salary. I’d give Boras credit for deGrom’s contract, but with all the teams that have needed pitching, Turnbull could have gotten what he did without any agent at all.