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Report: Phillies have interest in Jake McGee

Ron Chenoy / USA TODAY Sports

Last winter, the rebuilding Philadelphia Phillies traded for reliever Pat Neshek to help bolster a young bullpen, but the veteran eventually served as deadline-day trade bait. This offseason, it appears they may be targeting another veteran arm to help the back end in a similar fashion.

Philadelphia is reportedly among the teams showing interest in free-agent left-handed reliever Jake McGee, according to Jon Morosi of MLB.com.

The 31-year-old McGee has spent the last two seasons with the Colorado Rockies, to varying degrees of success. In 2016, McGee struggled to adapt to pitching in the Mile High City. As a result, his ERA skyrocketed to 4.73 while allowing over 11 hits per nine innings. Things were different for him this past year, however, as he posted a 3.61 ERA, 1.099 WHIP, and 58 strikeouts (9.1 per nine) as part of a deep Rockies bullpen. He also allowed only four home runs all year.

McGee was effective against hitters on both sides of the plate, but particularly so against righties, holding them to a .585 OPS in 145 plate appearances; left-handed hitters held an OPS of .690 against him while collecting only five extra-base hits.

While McGee could certainly help the Phillies' bullpen have better success retiring left-handed hitters after they struggled to do so last year, he may also be intriguing to them as a set-up option behind closer Hector Neris. McGee also has some closing experience, saving 15 games for Colorado in 2016 and 19 with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2014.

McGee owns a career ERA of 3.15 with a 132 ERA+, 1.100 WHIP, and 44 saves in eight big-league seasons with the Rays and Rockies.

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