The Phillies have added an experienced late game reliever to their list of bullpen candidates.
Brandon Kintzler has agreed to a minor league contract with the club, sources confirm. The 36-year old righthanded man led the Miami Marlins with 12 saves last year and recorded a career-high 29 while pitching for the Minnesota Twins and Washington Nationals in 2017.
Based on his track record, Kintzler, who was an All-Star with the Twins in 2017, has a good chance of earning a spot in the Phillies season-opening bullpen. He is one of the few relievers the club has added since Dave Dombrowski was hired as president of baseball operations in December.
Dombrowski’s signature bullpen move was the signing of free agent Archie Bradley. In addition, Dombrowski has traded for Jose Alvarado and Sam Coonrod. He has also added veterans Neftali Feliz, Hector Rondon, Michael Ynoa, David Paulino and others, including Kintzler, to minor league deals.
The Phillies had the worst bullpen in the majors in 2020. The team lost 21 games in which it had a lead at one point, most in the majors, and the bullpen finished with a 7.06 ERA.
Hector Neris will return to the bullpen in 2021 and Connor Brogdon, based on his work, could keep a spot in 2020. After that, the Phillies’ bullpen could have some entrants in 2021.
Despite only 14 strikeouts and 11 walks in 24 innings for Miami last year, Kintzler pitched to a 2.22 ERA and helped the Marlins reach the expanded postseason field in 2020.
Kintzler spoke candidly about how the Marlins, who had been ravaged by COVID-19 early in the season, were inspired by a trip to Philadelphia. While at the clubhouse, Marlins players heard NBC Sports Philadelphia pre- and post-game analyst Ricky Bottalico call them “ bottom feeders. ” It became a rallying cry for the Marlins, who passed the Phillies in the standings during the closing days of the season. They even had the phrase printed on T-shirts.
Maybe Kintzler has another one in his duffel bag for Ricky Bo.
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