Photo: Ian D'Andrea/Wikimedia Commons/Fair Use
While on the surface this question seems very silly to ask given how well Seranthony Domínguez has pitched this year but should he really be the closer?
It is safe to say Domínguez would probably do very well in the closer role, back in 2018 he recorded 16 saves and a 140 ERA+ in his first-ever season as a big leaguer. He never got the chance in 2019 with a down season and then injuring his UCL.
Now in 2022, Domínguez is back on the mound as a major leaguer and has been the clear-cut best reliever in their bullpen. With a 1.61 ERA, 11.7 strikeout rate, and throwing about 97 miles per hour, Domínguez shows no signs of slowing down either.
With their current closer Corey Knebel, it's been a completely different story. While Knebel would say May wasn't a tough month, it's hard to imagine why he would think that. Knebel had a 5.40 ERA and a 5.54 FIP while also allowing a .911 OPS from opposing hitters. He blew multiple saves like against the Mets and Dodgers during that month and now has his role under massive scrutiny.
He's followed that up with a shaky start to June, nearly blowing the game against the Angels and barely surviving against the Brewers. Just about every fan in Philadelphia right now would want a new closer and the best internal option is Domínguez.
However, is that what's best for the bullpen? The answer is no, Domínguez's current role is the most important in the entire bullpen. No one else in the pen has shown the ability to come into tough jams like he does and succeed.
Friday's game against the Arizona Diamondbacks is a great example. Domínguez got Ketel Marte to fly out and Christian Walker to strike out looking with a runner on second and one out in the top of the seventh.
Making Domínguez the closer is addition by subtraction, the entire bullpen would require major role restructuring since no one could fit his role.
On the days Domínguez has off there is already an issue, take Saturday's game against the Diamondbacks as an example. In the top of the 7th with a three-run lead, Jeurys Familia came in and after getting the first two outs, gave up back-to-back hits along with a walk to load the bases. Manager Rob Thomson had to trust Andrew Bellatti to face Marte.
Luckily, Bellatti did get out of it but those are the types of decisions they would have to make every night. Do you trust Bellatti to do that again? Probably not.
Knebel probably wouldn't warm up fast enough in that spot and has shaky command as is. Domínguez has the lowest walk rate of any reliever in the entire bullpen. There is a real possibility the bullpen would be worse off if Domínguez was named the full-time closer even with Knebel's struggles.
The question you all are asking is what is the solution if Knebel continues to struggle as a closer? The answer is quite simple, that guy isn't on the roster.
