Archie Bradley and Phillies agree to negotiate (source)

PHILADELPHIA – The Phillies may have found a new one closer to 2021. A source told Mark Feinsand of MLB.com on Thursday that right-handed Archie Bradley agreed to a $ 6 million one-year deal with the Phillies, while awaits a physical examination. Bradley, 28, has an ERA of 2.95 and 28 saves in 221 appearances over

PHILADELPHIA – The Phillies may have found a new one closer to 2021.

A source said Mark Feinsand of MLB.com on Thursday that right-handed Archie Bradley agreed to a $ 6 million one-year contract with the Phillies pending a physical examination. Bradley, 28, has 2.95 ERA and 28 saves in 221 games in the past four seasons with Arizona and Cincinnati. He achieved his career record in 18 saves with D-backs in 2019.

The Phillies did not announce the deal, but shortly after the news, Bradley tweeted a GIF of Rocky Balboa at the top of the stairs in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

“Humor,” he wrote.

Humor. pic.twitter.com/reeoZvf2AL

– Archie Bradley (@ ArchieBradley7) January 14, 2021

Bradley updates a Phillies bullpen that is in desperate need of help. He recorded an ERA of 7.06 last season, the second highest mark in history, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Only six bullpens in the past 20 years have had 60 worse game periods than the 2020 Phillies: 2003 Royals (7.14 ERA), 2019 Orioles (7.15 ERA), 2007 Orioles (7.32 ERA), 2007 White Sox ( 7.77 ERA), 2010 D -backs (7.77 ERA) and 2007 Rays (8.11 ERA).

Phillies manager Joe Girardi now has three pitchers with closing experience in his bullpen: Bradley, right-handed Héctor Neris (72 career savers) and left-handed José Alvarado (15 career savers), although Alvarado has struggled with injuries in the past two seasons. Right-handed Sam Coonrod, which the Phillies acquired earlier this month in a swap with the Giants, won three saves in the last month of the 2020 season. The Phillies are also optimistic about the right-handed potential Connor Brogdon and left-handed JoJo Romero, which showed flashes of dominance in 2020.

The Phillies still need help, however.

• MLB Hot Stove Tracker | Phillies offseason checklist

It is unclear whether the Phillies will seek another piece of back-end bullpen or whether they will seek complementary arms. The Phillies expressed interest in other last-minute relievers before reaching an agreement with Bradley, including free agent Alex Colomé. The Phillies remain engaged with the free agent catcher JT Realmuto and shortstop Didi Gregorius, whom they would like to bring back. They also have other gaps to fill, which is why Bradley got himself into a $ 6 million deal for a year.

Bradley went 2-0 with an ERA of 2.95 at 18 1/3 innings last season with the D-backs and Reds. Cincinnati did not offer him a contract in December, making him a free agent. Bradley hit 18 and walked three. He usually throws a four-seater fast ball and a curved ball, but he also has a changeup and a pellet.

Bradley is the first Major League free agent signing by the Phillies this off-season. Previously, they acquired Alvarado in a three-way trade with the Rays and Dodgers and Coonrod in a trade with the Giants. The Phillies claimed right-handed Ian Hamilton and João quezada waivers off and selected infielder Kyle Holder in Draft Rule 5. They avoided wage arbitration by agreeing to one-year contracts with the seeker Andrew Knapp ($ 1.1 million) and right-handed Seranthony Domínguez ($ 727,500), Zach Eflin ($ 4.45 million), David Hale ($ 850,000) and Neris ($ 5 million).