Phils looking to be opportunistic at Meetings
GM Klentak open to moves that would strengthen team's core
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Phillies have landed at the Winter Meetings in Nashville, Tenn. While they are not expected to make huge splashes this offseason, they could make things interesting this week.
Expect to hear some talk surrounding Phillies closer Ken Giles, who is available for the right price.
Phillies general manager Matt Klentak has said it is not his goal to trade Giles. But if a team steps up, like the Red Sox stepped up to acquire closer Craig Kimbrel from the Padres, it would be a surprise if Klentak did not pull the trigger. The opportunity to acquire a few top prospects for a pitcher that essentially would pitch only 60-80 innings next season would seem impossible to resist.
MLB.com and MLB Network will have wall-to-wall coverage of the 2015 Winter Meetings from the Opryland Hotel in Nashville, with the Network launching 35 hours of live Winter Meetings coverage on Sunday at 8 p.m. ET. Fans can also catch live streaming of all news conferences and manager availabilities on MLB.com -- Phillies manager Pete Mackanin meets with reporters at 4 p.m. on Tuesday -- as well as the announcement of the Hall of Fame Pre-Integration Era Committee inductees on Monday at 11 a.m. ET and the Rule 5 Draft on Thursday at 10 a.m. ET.
"We're still trying to make our core better -- and that's been the organization's goal from the beginning of the winter, and it's still our goal," Klentak said. "We want to be opportunistic with whatever presents itself and make our club better in the long and short term. It's been an organizational goal of mine and ours to augment our pitching. That continues. ... I don't have a short list of clubs or agents I want to meet with, but I'm certain we'll be very active in talking with a lot of people and pursuing a lot of opportunities that will present themselves."
Even if the Phillies do not trade Giles, they will continue to pursue a veteran starter. They certainly need at least one to complement a mostly inexperienced group that figures to include at least Jeremy Hellickson, Aaron Nola and Jerad Eickhoff -- with Adam Morgan, David Buchanan, Alec Asher and Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez competing for jobs.
"Nothing is imminent at this moment," Klentak said.
But that can change with one face-to-face meeting or one text message this week at the Winter Meetings.
Stay tuned.