Phillies’ moves for 2022: How we got here and what deals could be next

The Phillies won’t be able to bolster their roster all via free agency. Center field, in particular, likely will require a trade. The Phillies have talked with the Tampa Bay Rays about Kevin Kiermaier, multiple major-league sources confirmed. Toronto’s Randal Grichuk may be available. And they will keep shaking every tree in Pittsburgh and Baltimore in the hopes that Bryan Reynolds or Cedric Mullins falls out. Regardless, Phillies president Dave Dombrowski will almost certainly have to move players off the 40-man roster. Here’s a look at a few who could be sent packing.

Dombrowski has pulled off more than 220 trades since 1988, his rookie year as general manager of the Montreal Expos. With the help of the highly addictive website baseballtradevalues.com, here are some creative trade proposals that could address some key needs.

Kris Bryant: How about reuniting Las Vegas Little League teammates Bryant and Harper? The former Cubs slugger would bring proven production and versatility to the Phillies, but also comes with a steep price tag.

Kyle Schwarber: Schwarber, a top Phillies target, pretty much matches Dombrowski’s broad description of what the team is looking for in likely its most expensive and highest-profile offseason addition.

Michael Conforto: The Phillies could fill their opening in left field with Conforto, who would be a far better defensive fit than Schwarber. And Conforto is a left-handed power hitter — with experience batting in the middle of the lineup — who could balance out some of the Phillies’ right-handed hitting sluggers.

This offseason has been anything but normal, and few understand that better than new hitting coach Kevin Long, who was hired by the Phillies in October, just 52 days before MLB’s owners locked out the players. Unable to talk to his future pupils, Long has spent three-quarters of his day, every day, looking at videos of swings, and jokes that, mechanically-speaking, he might know the Phillies’ hitters better than they know themselves. And that includes young third baseman Alec Bohm, who struggled last season after his runner-up finish in 2020 rookie of the year voting. Long’s forecast: Bohm is “going to be a force in this league for a long time.”

Abel and Painter have become fast friends since they met in September. It makes sense. They have a lot in common. They almost certainly will be joined at the hip as they ascend the minor-league ranks together beginning this season.

In five months’ time, Matt Vierling went from informing the Phillies’ instructional league coaches that he’s capable of playing multiple positions to attending major-league spring training as a non-roster invitee. Four months after that, he batted seventh and played center field for Joe Girardi. Which Phillie can be the 2022 version of Vierling? Here are a few worth watching.

Having watched the rival Atlanta Braves and Washington Nationals mine Latin America for superstars Ronald Acuña Jr. and Juan Soto, respectively, the Phillies are holding out hope that they hit it big with Yhoswar Garcia. At a minimum, they need one of Garcia, Johan Rojas, or Símon Muzziotti to graduate to center field on an everyday basis in the majors, unlike back-to-back first-round picks Mickey Moniak and Adam Haseley. “I like all three of them,” a National League scout said. “I think they all have a chance to be everyday center fielders with a big-time tool package. The youngest one, Garcia, my gosh, he does some things on the field that are incredible to watch.”

That the new guy hired to improve the Phillies’ minor-league system is bullish on its overall talent isn’t a big surprise, but part of his background might be. Here’s how Preston Mattingly went from first-round draft pick of the Dodgers to 26-year-old college basketball player, learning how to build a culture along the way.

The Phillies’ top positional prospect hopes the tweaks he made in the Arizona Fall League continue into spring training as he competes for that big-league shortstop job Dombrowski mentioned last year. And Bryson Stott is definitely embracing the competition.

Neris, the franchise’s all-time strikeout leader among relief pitchers after eight seasons with the Phillies, agreed to a two-year, $17 million deal with the Astros on Nov. 27.

Bedrosian re-signed on a minor-league deal along with five other pitchers on Dec. 14.

The Phillies will Stott a chance to begin the season as their starting shortstop. “There’s no promises attached to him. But I want to make sure he comes in with the right mindset to go about it,” Dombrowski said.

The Phillies’ top priority is finding a closer, and the White Sox’s Craig Kimbrel could be a trade option.

The designated hitter appears destined for the National League. How would the Phillies use the extra bat in the lineup? Expect a committee approach.

Dombrowski said left field and center field are “complete necessities,” but he doesn’t expect former first-round picks Mickey Moniak and Adam Haseley to be solutions.

The Phillies claimed off waivers reliever Kent Emanuel, a 29-year-old left-hander who had elbow surgery in May after serving an 80-game suspension for a performance-enhancing drug he denied taking. Emanuel made 10 relief appearances as a rookie last season with Houston before undergoing season-ending elbow surgery. He avoided a second Tommy John surgery, which he had in 2015, and should be ready for spring training.

The Phillies acquired relief pitcher Nick Nelson from the Yankees. Nelson, who turns 26 in December, has a 6.43 ERA over the last two seasons in 22 appearances. He racked up 22 strikeouts last season in 14⅓ innings but also walked 16 batters. He leans heavily on his fastball, which tops out near 99 mph, and uses a changeup as his preferred secondary pitch.

The Phillies also acquired minor-league catcher Donny Sands and sent the Yankees left-hander Joel Valdez and first baseman T.J. Rumfield. Valdez, 21, pitched last season in the Dominican Summer League and Rumfield, 21, was drafted last summer in the 12th round.

The Phils acquired 28-year-old catcher Garrett Stubbs from Houston for outfielder Logan Cerny, a 22-year-old who was drafted in last summer’s 10th round. Stubbs has played 51 major-league games over the last three seasons with a .485 career OPS in 87 plate appearances. He hit .265 last season with a .781 OPS in 146 plate appearances at triple A.

The Phillies announced the signing of Domínguez to a one-year deal that will be worth $727,500, according to a source.

Alvarado, Eflin, and Hoskins were tendered 2022 contracts, as expected.

The re-construction of the Phillies bullpen received its first addition just before the expiration of the CBA when they signed right-hander Corey Knebel, who recorded key postseason outs in October for the Dodgers and could be the new closer.

In the waning minutes of Dec. 1, before the lockout froze transactions for an undetermined length of time, the Phillies’ 40-man roster churned once more. They signed infielder Johan Camargo to a one-year, $1.4 million contract and designated pitcher Adonis Medina for assignment.