Phillies agree to one-year contract with reliever Brad Hand, source says

CLEARWATER, Fla. — In another move to recast their bullpen, the Phillies agreed to a one-year, $6 million contract with left-handed reliever Brad Hand, a major-league source confirmed Monday.

Hand is expected to join newcomers Corey Knebel and Jeurys Familia as the top late-inning options for manager Joe Girardi, essentially replacing last year’s trio of Ian Kennedy, Héctor Neris, and Archie Bradley. Girardi said Sunday he intends to begin the season with Knebel in the closer role.

The Phillies didn’t comment on the deal with Hand because it’s pending a physical.

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Hand, who turns 32 on Sunday, will be the second free-agent reliever to sign with the Phillies in the last few days. Familia agreed to an identical one-year, $6 million deal over the weekend.

The Phillies lost Neris, Kennedy, and Bradley in free agency from a bullpen that last season posted the fifth-worst ERA in the National League (4.60) and tied the Washington Nationals for the majors’ lead in blown saves (34).

Knebel was the first addition, signing a one-year, $10 million contract before the owners locked out the players on Dec. 1. But Familia and Hand also have closer experience, with 125 and 126 career saves, respectively.

“I think we’re trying to lengthen our bullpen right now to the best that they can,” Bryce Harper said before the Phillies’ first full-squad workout Monday. “I don’t think we’re done. I don’t think we’re going to settle for just that right now. I’m not sure.”

Hand spent last season with the Nationals, Toronto Blue Jays and New York Mets. He appeared in 68 games with a 3.90 ERA across all three stops. A former closer, he has a 3.68 ERA over an 11-year major-league career.

The Phillies’ bullpen now consists of Knebel, Familia, Hand, lefty José Alvarado, Seranthony Domínguez, Connor Brogdon, and Sam Coonrod.

ESPN was first to report the deal with Hand, which brings the Phillies’ luxury-tax payroll up to approximately $194 million, not including a deal for center fielder Odúbel Herrera that is close to being finalized.

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Phillies officials exhaled, at least somewhat, as Zack Wheeler threw from a mound and did not report a recurrence of the right shoulder soreness that halted his offseason workouts in December. He’s scheduled to throw another bullpen session Thursday.

Wheeler will still be behind many other pitchers in camp, and with the truncated spring training, it’s possible he isn’t ready to make his first start. But Girardi said the Phillies believe Wheeler’s shoulder scare is a thing of the past.

“I do,” Girardi said. “We knew that it was possible that it would take him more time. This rest might benefit him in a sense. Physically, everything has turned out fine for him.”

Wheeler led the majors last season with a career-high 213⅓ innings and finished second in the NL Cy Young Award voting.

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The Phillies won’t shed tears over the end of the Freddie Freeman era in Atlanta.

Freeman, who is poised to sign elsewhere (the Dodgers, perhaps?) after the Braves traded for first baseman Matt Olson from the Oakland A’s, batted .298/.398/.495 with 30 home runs and 120 RBIs in 194 games against the Phillies in his 12-year career with Atlanta. He hit 15 homers at Citizens Bank Park, more than any road ballpark except loanDepot Park in Miami.

Wheeler, in particular, won’t be sad to see Freeman leave the NL East. Freeman is 21-for-48 (.438) with a 1.208 OPS in his career against the Phillies’ ace.

“But [Olson’s] a really good player, too,” Girardi said. “We’ll have to see.”

Scott Kingery, a nonroster invitee to camp, is in the final stages of a recovery from shoulder surgery last summer. Could he find his way back to the majors as a bench player? “There’s a lot of things that this kid can do if he gets right,” Girardi said. “Just got to get him right.” ... Girardi addressed the team before the first full-squad workout. His message: “Our goals are to win. That’s the bottom line. There’s going to be days when you take steps back and you’ve got to move forward. But our goal’s to win.” ... Of the 57 players originally invited to camp, only left-hander Ranger Suárez has not yet reported. Suárez received his visa and was awaiting the return of his passport to travel here from Colombia. It’s possible he could arrive later in the week.