Joe Girardi can check off finding a pitching coach from his somewhat lengthy to-do list as the Phillies new skipper. The club announced the hiring of Bryan Price on Thursday morning.
The 57-year-old Price managed the Cincinnati Reds from 2014-2018 and has served as the pitching coach for the Mariners, Diamondbacks, and Rays.
Price will be the Phils third pitching coach in as many seasons. Rick Kranitz was fired from the post following the 2018 season and Chris Young was relieved along with Gabe Kapler earlier this month.
Pitching was a sore point for the Phillies in 2019. The club finished with the eighth highest FIP (4.88) in baseball with both the rotation and the bullpen struggling throughout large chunks of the season.
General manager Matt Klentak is expected to make a run for at least one premier starter to add to the rotation. The club also needs to retool a bullpen that last year was snakebitten with injuries to Tommy Hunter, Pat Neshek, and David Robertson.
"It's really hard to survive when your bullpen doesn't stay healthy. Obviously, addressing that is really important," Girardi said at his introductory press conference. "There are starters here that I believe have a lot of ability, and it's our job to get the most out of them."
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The 57-year-old Price managed the Cincinnati Reds from 2014-2018 and has served as the pitching coach for the Mariners, Diamondbacks, and Rays.
Price will be the Phils third pitching coach in as many seasons. Rick Kranitz was fired from the post following the 2018 season and Chris Young was relieved along with Gabe Kapler earlier this month.
Pitching was a sore point for the Phillies in 2019. The club finished with the eighth highest FIP (4.88) in baseball with both the rotation and the bullpen struggling throughout large chunks of the season.
General manager Matt Klentak is expected to make a run for at least one premier starter to add to the rotation. The club also needs to retool a bullpen that last year was snakebitten with injuries to Tommy Hunter, Pat Neshek, and David Robertson.
"It's really hard to survive when your bullpen doesn't stay healthy. Obviously, addressing that is really important," Girardi said at his introductory press conference. "There are starters here that I believe have a lot of ability, and it's our job to get the most out of them."
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