The Philadelphia Phillies fell short of the World Series last season. The team has not reached the World Series again since their trip in 2022.
The Phillies have plenty of star players and are capable of making another run to the World Series. The team has some key players in free agency. While re-signing Kyle Schwarber, J.T. Realmuto and Ranger Suárez may be more important, the Phillies also need to build depth in the minor leagues.
Teams go through countless pitchers throughout the season, and having reliable arms in the minor leagues is important to get through a year. The Phillies lost a veteran arm to the open market when Lucas Sims elected free agency on Nov. 6, according to his transaction log on MLB.com.
Sims started the season with the Washington Nationals, but he was released after a rough outing in May. The Phillies signed him to a minor league contract and he spent the season playing for Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
In 34 games in Triple-A, he posted a 5.56 ERA. He picked up seven holds and a save, however. He did not have a great year, but he is an experienced player who should be able to find a new team.
Sims has played in 263 big league games. He spent seven seasons with the Cincinnati Reds, where he posted a 3.94 ERA in 210 games. He had a solid season in 2023, posting a 3.10 ERA in 67 games. However, he has struggled ever since the Reds traded him to the Boston Red Sox in July last year.
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