Putting it bluntly, the Phillies’ historically-bad bullpen needs to undergo a major rebuild if the team expects to contend in 2021. There are a plethora of established free agent options whom the Phillies can entice with their sizable payroll flexibility. Signing multiple lockdown relievers seems to be the front office’s first step in building a competent bullpen.
In reality, the problem is much deeper than this. Despite what you may think, the Phillies’ failure to acquire capable relief arms does not stem from lack of talent in the front office. The true cause is the prevalence of a misunderstood philosophy about what it means to construct a Major League roster while utilizing a $200 million payroll.