PHILADELPHIA — It stands to reason, with Bryce Harper scheduled for thumb surgery Wednesday, that a popular talking point is whether the Phillies will be able to make a trade to boost the offense in the MVP’s absence.
But let’s not forget the Phillies’ biggest need: the bullpen.
Now and always, it seems, the Phillies are a few relievers short of a reliable late-inning crew. The reminders are frequent. Whether it’s deposed closer Corey Knebel getting the seventh inning instead of the ninth, or journeyman Andrew Bellatti coming into the eighth inning of a tie game, the bullpen is an ever-present weakness.
