The Philadelphia Phillies came up short in reaching the postseason for the 10th straight season this past year. Bryce Harper is coming off an MVP-worthy campaign but simply hasn't gotten enough help around him as his Phillies tenure has been labeled a disappointment thus far.
Philadelphia sports fans are upset, and hope 2022 breaks the playoff curse. It'll be their third year under manager Joe Girardi, and the Phillies have some money to spend after declining Andrew McCutchen's $15 million team option.
With that said, here are three players the Phillies should target in free agency:
Starling Marte
With McCutchen gone, Philadelphia is in need of a new leadoff hitter. Marte fits the bill perfectly as he hits for average and can steal bases at a top rate. Last season with Pittsburgh and Oakland, Marte hit .310/.383/.458 and stole 25 bags.
Marte has a career OPS+ of 116, and is still in the prime of his career. The Dominican outfielder would fill a huge hole in center field, as Roman Quinn is currently penciled in as their starter on the depth chart.
Marte is already linked to contenders such as the Astros and Yankees, but Philly is a big market team that should consider laying the dough for another star.
Eddie Rosario
A surprise hero during the Atlanta Braves World Series run, Rosario hit .506 for the Braves in the NLCS as he won series MVP. That alone will get the 30-year-old a decent contract elsewhere as the Braves focus on Ronald Acuna returning to the lineup.
Besides Harper and Didi Gregorious, the Phillies lack left-handed hitters in their lineup. Rosario would help restore balance in the order. Surprisingly enough, he also held his own against southpaws in 2021, hitting .265. Citizens Bank Park is hitter-friendly and would bode well for a player like Rosario.
Steven Matz
After battling injuries and inconsistency with the Mets, Matz rebounded on a one-year contract with the Jays in 2021.
The Long Island native posted a 14-7 record with a 3.82 ERA. It was Matz's best statistical year since 2016 when he finished sixth in Rookie of the Year voting. The 31-year-old will now benefit from his 2021 campaign in the highly sought-after free agent market.
Philadelphia is well-stocked in their rotation with Cy Young nominee Zach Wheeler, Aaron Nola, and Kyle Gibson. Matz would add even more depth as one of the more underrated southpaws in baseball.
Raisel Iglesias
The Phillies are badly in need of a closer and Iglesias would be a perfect fit. The 31-year-old right-hander was one of the few bright spots on the Angels this past season, boasting an ERA+ of 174 as their closer. Iglesias racked up 34 saves and has a deadly fastball/slider combination.
The Cuban native is coming off the highest strikeout rate season of his career, boasting an expected batting average of .190. Before his one-year stint in Anaheim, Iglesias had spent his first six years with Cincinnati.
Signing an elite arm like Iglesias could help take the burden off left-hander Jose Alvarado in a fairly young and inexperienced Phillies bullpen.
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