Phillies Mailbag: Power Outage, Brogdon, Kingery

We are back once again with the 97.3 ESPN Phillies mailbag.  Each week we take your questions and answer them on The Sports Bash with Mike Gill.  Tune in Tuesday afternoons to hear your questions answered on the air.  Ask your questions anytime to @FrankKlose on Twitter or text the show at 609-403-0973.

Frank, where is the power on this team? Besides Kyle Schwarber there's nothing. The infield combined has how many home runs? That's the issue when has someone hit a 3-run home run when it's needed? Harper has no power either.
~Julien

The Phillies indeed have been in somewhat of a home run drought.  I think that was to be expected as Rhys Hoskins ended up becoming either Edmundo Sosa or Kody Clemens in the lineup.  The Phillies were without Bryce Harper for some time, too, and it is understandable that with a reconstructed elbow he could take some time to get the power stroke back.

The Phillies currently are ranked 20th out of the 30 teams for home runs.  One would think that they would be higher than that, even without Hoskins and Darick Hall.  Trea Turner usually hits a few more.  J.T. Realmuto has been cold.  Nick Castellanos has been really good, though the ball has not cleared the wall as much; he's projected to hit about 20 this year (some may have pegged him for 30).

Neither Bryson Stott or Alec Bohm are necessarily thought of as home run hitters, either.

So yes, the home run power is down.  It would be nice for Realmuto and Turner to come out of their slumps.  Harper could improve as he gets better and better.  And maybe Hall would give them a home run boost at some point.

But when you break it down, it seems like that's what the Phillies are right now  They're probably middle of the pack without Hoskins, with a couple slumps knocking down the number.  We will see what happens at the trade deadline; a bat addition might be in order.

Why was Connor Brogdon sent down and Dylan Covey still on the team?
~Michael
...and Connor Brogdon is pitching for Lehigh Valley?
~@PhilliesInfo10

The Phillies did surprise some when Connor Brogdon was the choice to be optioned to to Triple-A upon the return of Jose Alvarado.  That is especially because the Phillies kept the likes of Yunior Marte and Dylan Covey on roster.  That's not to mention two who were not projected to make the roster in Jeff Hoffman and Andrew Vasquez.

Brogdon's overall numbers look just OK.  But in his last seven games he is 0-1 with a 9.45 earned run average.  He took the loss in the first game against Washington in which the Phillies rallied for seven runs to tie the game.    The Phillies, thanks to the starting rotation hole, were left with lots of innings to fill.

Alvarado was a fresh arm.

It is also possible too that the Phillies wish to send a message to Brogdon.  When Brogdon is on, he can be lights out.  But when he is off, he does not really help the team.  Is there something they are trying to impart to him that is not getting through?  I have no way of knowing.

But he has not been sharp at Triple-A either; he allowed three runs to take the loss in Lehigh Valley on Sunday.

Scott Kingery is hot.  Any chance he can help this Phillies team?
~Kathleen

Scott Kingery is hitting .440 in the month of June.  Adding in six walks, Kingery's 1.300 OPS for the month certainly looks impressive.  Despite this, I think that we may have seen the last of Kingery.

The big tell is that when Alec Bohm recently hit the injured list, the Phillies instead created a 40-man roster spot and active roster spot for Drew Ellis instead.   Kingery could have been someone who could have filled in at third base as well as first base.

I suppose we could keep open the possibility, but it would take the Phillies being down multiple bats.  Kody Clemens can play other infield positions besides first base.  Ellis remains available to be recalled.  And Darick Hall could take one of those infield spots as it is.

In center, Cristian Pache could return, and Dalton Guthrie would be optioned whenever that time comes.

Kingery is likely playing for someone else to sign him to a minor league contract with a Spring Training invite at this point.   But who knows: multiple injuries could force the issue, so we'll never say never.