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AFTER GM MATT KLENTA K rebuilt the
lineup last offseason around rightfielder
Bryce Harper, injuries ruined what was
supposed to be the Phillies’ triumphant
return to contention. Outfielder Andrew
McCutchen suffered a torn left ACL in
June. Starter Jake Arrieta tried to pitch
through a bone spur, was ineffective and
finally shut it down in August. Nearly the
entire projected bullpen, including new
closer David Robertson, a rock for a decade,
landed on the injured list. Gabe Kapler
did a better job as manager in 2019 than
he did in ’18, but the combination of high
expectations and lost players did him in.
Enter Joe Girardi, Kapler’s successor
and similarly a data-driven manager.When you’ve won a World Series, though,
you get more rope. Girardi inherits the
fruits of last year’s shopping spree, plus
his old shortstop with the Yankees,
Didi Gregorius, and a second potential
ace (after Aaron Nola) in former Mets
righthander Zack Wheeler. Though
Robertson will miss most of the year after
undergoing Tommy John surgery last
August, Philly’s relief core has as much
raw stuff as any National League team's,
and Girardi made his bones with handling
deep and powerful bullpens in New York.
Win or lose, though, the story will beHarper. It won’t go unmentioned that the
Nationals won the World Series in the year
after he left, while his new team failed to
reach the playoffs for the eighth year in a
row. Harper had a fairly typical season at
the plate (.260/.372/.510 with 35 homers),
played much better defense than he did in
his last year in D.C. and missed just five
games. It wasn’t his fault the Phillies fell
short, but until he gets back to October,
maybe until he wins a ring himself, the
2019 Nationals will cast a shadow over
Harper’s career.The Phillies made the right managerial hire with Joe Girardi, and Bryce Harper will be
better in Year 2. But their lack of starting pitching will keep them out of October.OVER
UNDER 85.5| 3.0 WAR| 1.3 WAR
Since ’16 the
shortstop’s
OPS has fallen
from .867
to .743 and
defensively,
his outs above
average have
dropped in
back-to-
back years.| BRYCE HARPER | RF | The Phillies have received a decent
return on the $330 million, 13-year investment they made
in 2019. Harper has earned four Silver Sluggers—using a
shortened swing that exchanged power for contact—and his
j\Zfe[DMGXkX^\)0#j\m\ep\XijX]k\i_`jÓijk%9lkn_`c\_`j
former team won the World Series the year after he left D.C.,
Harper has yet to deliver a title to Philly. Which explains why no
gcXp\iXk:`k`q\ej9XebGXib^\kjYff\[dfi\%2030 PREDICTION
JEFF ZELEVANSKYLast year’s key injuries
ruined what was supposed to be
the Phillies’ triumphant
return to October baseball.