By Tim Kelly, Sports Talk Philly editor 
Even after strong second halves from left-handed relievers Hoby Milner and Adam Morgan, the Philadelphia Phillies apparently don't feel locked into heading into the 2018 season with those two as their primary lefties.
Instead, Jon Paul Morosi of MLB.com says that the Phillies are interested in free-agent lefty Jake McGee:
The Phillies are among the teams interested in free-agent left-handed reliever Jake McGee, who won a gold medal with Team USA at the 2017 World Baseball Classic and posted a 1.099 WHIP in 62 appearances for the Rockies this season. One connection of note: McGee and new Phillies manager Gabe Kapler were teammates with the Rays in 2010.
McGee, 31, appeared in 62 games for the Colorado Rockies in 2017, posting a 3.61 ERA, a 2.93 FIP and a 3.95 xFIP. Though he's two years removed from a disappointing 2016 season, in 416 career games, he's posted a 3.15 ERA, a 2.97 FIP and a 3.29 xFIP.
While the connection to Kapler is interesting and it feels like you can never have too many lefthanded relief options, it does seem fair to wonder if a lefty is who the Phillies should target if they do seriously pursue a free-agent reliever. Though it once would have seemed foolish to count on much of anything from Morgan, he posted a 2.73 ERA in 33 innings after the All-Star Break. Milner, 26, was extremely effective in 37 games in 2017, posting a 2.01 ERA. He's seemingly a lock to the be on the Opening Day roster.
The Phillies could carry three lefties, which would give them a unique advantage. Morgan could be pushed into being the long-man, though he wasn't especially effective in that role previously, and it feels very possible that Mark Leiter Jr. will occupy that role. Even after a strong second half, Morgan, in theory, could open the year at Triple-A.
Trending: Former Phillies 1B Darin Ruf Will Remain in South Korea For 2018 Season
However, if the Phillies are going to make a push for a free-agent reliever, Pat Neshek, who was a teammate with McGee in Colorado, might make more sense. Neshek can pitch in a variety of different roles, which may be valuable when you have pitchers like Luis Garcia and Edubray Ramos, who have very good stuff, but haven't been able to consistently put things together thus far. When the Phillies traded him to the Rockies last July, Neshek said the Phillies " would probably be his No. 1 destination," should he ever get a chance to pick his team. He's a free-agent now, so he has that chance.
It's not exactly clear who will occupy what role in the bullpen in 2018. Hector Neris was automatic in the ninth inning in the second-half of the season, but both Garcia and Ramos have closer-type stuff. When you factor in Morgan, Milner, Leiter and a potential free-agent addition, the Phillies bullpen looks as though it could be an effective unit in 2018.
