It's always the perfect time to second guess in Philadelphia sports.
The Phillies returned a lot of the same roster from 2021 to 2022 (adding some new pitching, Kyle Schwarber and Nick Castellanos), and the results are not particularly encouraging so far — they are struggling to compete against the best in the NL while hovering just below .500.
There is a lot of baseball left to be played, but it is worth wondering just how some of the players the Phillies elected to move on from are faring with their other teams. Did Dave Dombrowski and company get it right? Or did they cut bait from guys who'd have made a difference with the 2022 Phillies?
Here's a look at some of the guys the Phillies have traded away, cut or did not retain over the last two seasons or so, and how they have played so far in 2022.
Wrong decision?
Hector Neris, RP (2014-21)
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One of the Phillies most confusing decisions this past fall was deciding to move on from Neris, who was arguably the bullpen's best and most reliable contributor in recent years. The homegrown reliever had a 3.42 ERA over eight seasons in Philadelphia and last year he had a 3.63 mark on one of the worst 'pens in baseball. He signed with the Astros and has been absolutely lights out so far, appearing in an MLB leading 20 games so far. He has a 2.37 ERA, 20 strikeouts and just two walks with a WHIP of 0.737.
Matt Moore, SP/RP (2021)
Matt Moore was almost unplayable in 2021 with the Phillies, as he compiled a 6.29 ERA over 13 starts and 11 relief appearances. Now with the Rangers, Moore is pitching like the stud he was way back in 2013 when he was an All-Star. In 20.1 innings with Texas, he has a 2.21 ERA. Why was he unable to succeed just one year ago with the Phillies? Only the baseball gods have the answer to that.
Andrew McCutchen, OF (2019-21)
Cutch is 35 years old and the Phillies passed on retaining him this season to save some cash to ink their two new outfielders, but he has still been productive for the Brewers when he's been on the field. In 28 games the corner outfielder is hitting .250 with three homers and 16 RBI.
Nick Pivetta, SP (2017-20)
Do the Phillies wish they had Pivetta on the staff? That is a tough question to answer. The starter is clearly better off in Boston, where he has lowered his ERA by more than an entire run compared to his time with the Phillies. He also has pitched one of just three complete games in baseball this season. However, he's still been wildly inconsistent with a 13-12 record and 4.33 ERA over the last two seasons with the Red Sox. Pivetta's relative success comes with the Phillies staff succeeding in his absence but desperate for depth. This one is a toss up, but clearly Pivetta has big league stuff.
They probably got it right...
Adam Haseley, OF (2019-21)
The Phils surprised many in trading Haseley this offseason after picking him in the first round in 2017. In a weird Phillies career, he played okay over his first two seasons, hitting a combined .269 in just over 300 at bats. However in 2021 his numbers dropped off, he was forced to leave the team for personal reasons and he never really resembled a first-round pick again. In a change of scenery on Chicago with the White Sox, he's played in just five games and has two hits.
Spencer Howard, SP (2020-21)
Howard was the Phillies' top pitching prospect before he was called up in 2020 but he never reached his potential in a brief 17 opportunities in South Philly. He was traded midseason in 2021 to the Rangers and he has not particularly thrived under less pressure and in a new environment. He has pitched 11 times in Texas and has a pretty awful 10.29 ERA in that span. This season he's allowed 10 hits and nine runs in 6.2 innings.
Vince Velasquez, SP (2016-21)
VV never was anything more than mediocre with the Phillies and he's looking like the exact same guy with the White Sox. In seven starts, the 30-year-old is 2-3 with a 5.79 ERA. During his 133 appearances with Philly he had a 4.93 ERA.
Archie Bradley, RP (2021)
Archie Bradley is a unique member of this list, as he pitched fairly well with the Phillies but they opted to go in a new direction anyway. That decision has apparently paid off, as the veteran hurler is struggling in Los Angeles. He has allowed seven runs in just 8.2 IP with the Angels.
Andrew Knapp, C (2017-21)
The Phillies' longtime backup catcher moved on last season mostly due to the Phillies abundance of depth at the position. He hasn't done much offensively in his new home in Pittsburgh, hitting .129 in 11 games.
Brad Miller, UTIL (2019, 21)
Miller has played all over the field in 35 games for the Rangers but hasn't hit particularly well, with a .225 average. However he has gone deep six times. The Phillies opted to go younger at their utility spots this season.
Travis Jankowski, OF (2021)
Jankowski, Lancaster's own, has not had the same success he had in Philly up I-95 with the Mets. In a small sample size of 45 at bats the 31-year-old has just nine hits.
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