This was a name that the Phillies were oft criticized for not adding last offseason. One year after being placed on waivers so that Cleveland could save the $10 million he was owed, Brad Hand ultimately went unclaimed. Ultimately, Hand received a $10.5 million deal from the Washington Nationals, more than if he had simply been claimed. But Hand ended up on three total teams in 2021, after an up and down season. Now, he will be joining the Phillies.
Jeff Passan of ESPN reports that the Phillies and Hand are in agreement on a contract for 2022:
Left-handed reliever Brad Hand and the Philadelphia Phillies are in agreement on a one-year, $6 million contract, sources familiar with the deal tell ESPN.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 14, 2022
Hand will give the Phillies a second lefty out of the bullpen to complement Jose Alvarado.
Hand has averaged 27 saves a season (taking out the shortened 2020, when he saved 16 but was on pace for more than 27 if a full season) dating back to 2017, when he became the Cleveland closer. Hand saved 21 out of 26 save opportunities for the Nationals last season prior to a trade to the Toronto Blue Jays. Hand did not do so well in Toronto, going 0-2 with a 7.27 earned run average in 11 games, before being released. He was picked up by the New York Mets and pitched fairly well down the stretch, going 1-0 with a 2.70 earned run average in 16 games.
Will the Phillies use Hand as a closer? That role remains to be seen, since the deal has not officially been announced. But the Phillies hope that Hand, Jeurys Familia and Corey Knebel combine to overcome the losses of their top three relief duo last season of Hector Neris, Ian Kennedy, and Archie Bradley.
The Phillies bullpen will also include the likes of returning Alvarado, Connor Brogdon, Sam Coonrod, and Seranthony Dominguez. Cristopher Sanchez and Bailey Falter could be bullpen options if they are not pressed into starting duty, which could be a reality early on.
