NFL
By: Mark T. Wilson
The Philadelphia Phillies were 2 wins away from hoisting another World Series title. However, they fell short. It wasn’t for lack of effort, but for lack of pitching. Pundits will point to the offense stalling in the last few games in the series against great pitching by the Houston Astros. But what if their pitching rotation was better? Aaron Nola faltered and the bullpen had its issues. That’s why Jacob deGrom has to be a top priority this offseason.
deGrom opted out of his contract with the New York Mets right after the World Series. Rumors say that he has an interest in the Texas Rangers while others say that the Atlanta Braves will swoop in and sign him to a 2-year deal worth up to $90M. That’s a lot of cash to throw at a pitcher but the Braves see the light at the end of the tunnel. This is what the New York Yankees did while George Steinbrenner was alive. They paid to win.
The Phillies are right on the cups of greatness with a young roster and the one starting pitcher could be the difference between another World Series defeat or a championship. Do whatever it takes to get this pitcher. We can scoff at the payroll and the price for taxes but what owner is not willing to go that extra mile in order to win? The Phillies have already shelled out tax money this season so adding that missing piece does not seem out of the norm.
Reports are surfacing that there may be mutual interest between the Phillies and Dodgers free agent Trea Turner. While he would be a huge upgrade, is this what the Phillies should be spending that tax money on when it’s clear their starting rotation should be the focal point? Adding more offense is great but if your rotation can’t produce outs and wins, then reaching another World Series is out of the question. How many 10-9 games can a team take?
The Astros are champs due to their rotation and bullpen. The offense is there, much like the Phillies, but it’s the pitching that will always determine the last team standing. In 2022, degrom started 11 games and finished 5-4 on the season. Now, injuries have been an issue for deGrom over the last 3 years. In 2020, he pitched 68 innings but struck out 104 batters. In 2021, he pitched 92 innings but struck out 146. In 2022, 64.1 innings but struck out 102.
Is deGrom Worth It For The Philadelphia Phillies?
It’s not a question of what he can do when on the mound, it’s just a matter of him seeing the mound. Through 2014-19, deGrom would start 171 games with 1255 strikeouts over that span. When healthy, he’s a beast. But which deGrom will be available this offseason?
The Philadelphia Phillies need someone who can give them 20+ starts next season. They also need a top-of-the-rotation player who can give them 7+ innings each outing to help relieve some of the wear and tear on the bullpen. $45M per is a lot to give a pitcher who in three seasons has not started more than 15 games a year.
If the Phillies were to chase Jacob deGrom, they would have to do so knowing he’s going to be available to be their Ace. I know he’s a clutch player but to pay someone that amount of money and he’s not available for half a season is a waste. And with his track record, let’s hope that he’s there when they need him most.
If the issue with the shoulder and forearm are a thing of the past, deGrom, at the ripe age of 34 is worth the gamble. As I said before, if DeGrom was ahead of Nola and Zach Wheeler during the series, the Philadelphia Phillies would be the ones celebrating, not the Astros.
But with the Braves and others on the chase, can the Philadelphia Phillies afford to not throw their hat in the ring? Much like the Braves, the Phillies are built to win now. It would hurt to not play the Jacob deGrom game and watch Atlanta scoop him up and lead them to another title. This is sports. This is the gambling that owners must do. It’s either play the game or watch someone trump you because you decided to fold knowing you had a winning hand.
Right now, the Phillies are the talk of the MLB. And maybe for the wrong reasons. Analysts are looking for them to add more punch on the offensive side when all they really need is the right arm.
