Joaquin Benoit arrived Monday afternoon to Citizens Bank Park and was summoned to a meeting he did not expect. His bosses told the 39-year-old righthander that he would start closing games for them.
"I believe everybody was surprised," Benoit said. "This was something we weren't expecting and I wasn't looking forward to it, but somebody has to do it."
The Phillies removed Jeanmar Gomez as closer one week into the season, a decision that carries little importance for a rebuilding team. It could elevate Benoit's trade value. It could allow Hector Neris to continue as a shutdown setup man.