The Phillies’ bullpen numbers last year were as bad as they looked

No team had more blown saves last year than the Phillies. The bullpen, with a 7.06 ERA that was the highest in baseball in 90 years, let the game slip away 14 times in their 32 losses as they finished one game out of the wild-card race. Ugh.

Joe Girardi used four relievers in the opening-day loss to Miami. The bullpen didn’t blow that game, but it didn’t help either. And it set the tone for the white-knuckle adventure for the rest of the season.

The first pitcher Girardi called on in that opening game, Ramon Rosso, is the only one still with the Phillies organization. He’ll start this season in the minors. Two others — Austin Davis and Trevor Kelley — would be DFA’d in August. The fourth, Reggie McClain, was not protected and plucked by the Yankees in the Rule 5 draft.

» READ MORE: Archie Bradley, the most notable addition to the bullpen

The Phillies had the worst ERA in the division and their relievers gave up more home runs than their starters in 125 fewer innings. If they have upgraded the bullpen, as they think they have, then maybe a postseason run isn’t that far-fetched.

It has not been determined yet how large the playoff field will be. It was five teams per league in 2019, eight teams per in the 2020 shortened season.

Most blown saves

14 — Phillies, missed playoffs by 1 game

14 — Angels, missed playoffs by 3 games

13 — Astros, made playoffs despite sub-.500 record

13 — Pirates, worst team in baseball

13 — Red Sox, worst win percentage (.400) in 56 years

More blown saves than saves

Pirates — 6 saves, 13 blown saves

Phillies — 11 saves, 14 blown saves

Angels — 12 saves, 14 blown saves

» READ MORE: Breaking down the candidates for closer

Quality starts/NL teams

The Phillies were fifth in the National League last season in quality starts (min. 6 IP, 3 or fewer ER allowed).

Most runners left for relief pitchers by starters and fellow relievers, National League:

Note: IR is inherited runners ... IR/S is inherited runners/scored. ... The NL average of inherited runners scored was 32.5%.

The Phillies bullpen allowed more homers than the starters in 125 fewer innings pitched. Yeah, that’ll leave a mark.

The Phillies finished one game back of the Brewers for the second wild card and three games back of the Marlins for second place in the NL East. None of the bullpens for those three teams was dominant, but had the Phillies been just a little better they probably would have made the postseason and 2021 could have a different vibe to it.

Every team had excruciating blown leads by its bullpen. Here are five knife-twisters the Phillies endured in the final month of the season.

Aug. 20, Game 1: Tommy Hunter gave up a game-tying double to Toronto’s Cavan Biggio with two outs in the sixth inning (doubleheaders were seven innings) and Deolis Guerra allowed a game-winning single to Lourdes Gurriel Jr. in the seventh.

Aug. 20, Game 2: The Phils jumped to a 7-0 lead, but Vince Velasquez, Connor Brogdon, and Hector Neris watched the Blue Jays score seven in the home half of the sixth to win, 9-7.

Aug. 22: The Phillies led the Braves, 4-2, heading to the bottom of the eighth before Neris and Brandon Workman brought out the kerosene. Division-leading Atlanta scored two in the eighth and one in the ninth for the win.

Sept. 22, Game 2: Phil Gosselin, who started the eighth inning on second base, came around to score after a throwing error on Roman Quinn’s sacrifice bunt. Brandon Workman, however, gave up a two-run homer to Yadiel Hernandez in the bottom of the inning. Hernandez, 32, became the oldest player whose first career home run was a walk-off. The Phillies were swept by Washington in the doubleheader and knocked out of playoff position for the final time.

Sept. 25: Morgan and Neris combined to allow the deciding two runs in the bottom of the 8th in the first game of a three-game season-ending sweep at Tampa. The Phillies limped home by losing seven of eight to finish the season.

He’s gone (min. 10 appearances in 2020): Tommy Hunter, Adam Morgan (LH), Blake Parker, Brandon Workman, David Phelps, Heath Hembree, JoJo Romero (minors).

He’s back (4): Hector Neris (closer), Connor Brogdon, David Hale, Vince Velasquez.

He’s been added (4): Archie Bradley, Jose Alvarado (LH), Brandon Kintzler, Sam Coonrod.

» READ MORE: How'd the Phillies 2020 bullpen get so bad?

Source: Inquirer research, Baseball-Reference.com.