The Philadelphia Phillies will be trying to make some last-minute roster changes that will give them the best chance to contend for the World Series with spring training just over a month away.
With so many talented players in their lineup currently, they will probably be searching for late-inning bullpen pieces or some combo players who can start games when necessary.
Roster forecasts for Opening Day are beginning to surface, and The Good Phight’s Ethan Witte has shared his.
Everything appears to be very typical. After all, not much changed throughout the offseason, so most things will remain the same.
Still, there was one name that stuck out.
In an effort to strengthen the bullpen, he has the Phillies add fiery Japanese reliever Shintaro Fujinami to the squad.
“As Fujinami is coming off a season in which he battled significantly to find the strike zone, I have advocated for him this summer as a potential one-year alternative. “Why not see what it would be like to bring in Caleb Cotham, if anyone can make it work with what he’s got?” the writer asks.
The right-hander is a perfect fit for this team because of his absurd talent, which aligns with their velocity philosophy.
The problem is that before being moved to the Baltimore Orioles, Fujinami had an 8.57 ERA in his debut Major League season with the Oakland Athletics, where he pitched both as a starter and a reliever.
Although he fared a little better there, with an ERA of 4.85 just from the bullpen, his worth has decreased because of his unsatisfactory first MLB season.
Philadelphia, looking to add skills at a low cost, would benefit from it.
Although he has become more receptive to the notion of coming back as a reliever, Fujinami was reportedly hoping to land a starting position with his next team this offseason.
If the price is right, the Phillies should surely examine what he’s looking for and make a move to sign him.
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