As we continue to look ahead to the 2023 season, I’ve been tasked with giving predictions for the Phillies’ relievers, which is typically the most difficult position to predict. Thanks to what feels like a lifetime of being disappointed by the Phillies’ bullpen, my rule of thumb is: The relievers will always be worse than I think they’ll be heading into the season.
For instance, I remember heading into the 2015 season thinking, “The rest of the team might absolutely suck this year, but the bullpen is going to be great. Jonathan Papelbon, Ken Giles, Jake Diekman, and Justin De Fratus are going to shorten games and let the Phillies win a bunch of games they shouldn't.