Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports
The Philadelphia Phillies want to rebuild their team for next season. For that situation to happen, moves are going to have to be made. The front office is going to have difficult decisions to make. Who stays and who goes? One decision that they are going to have to make is should they keep starter Kyle Kendrick?
Kendrick technically would not become a free agent until after next season. He is eligible for arbitration during this upcoming offseason. However, he could be valuable in the trade market.
Kendrick has developed into a fine pitcher over the last year. He has an ERA of 4.36 with a record of 10-8. Those numbers do not show how good Kendrick has been this season. He and Cliff Lee are the only starting pitchers to reach 10 wins this season. They are also tied with multiple pitchers around the Major League.
Kendrick is third in strikeouts out of the five starters. He has 86 of them. He has only given up 15 home runs this season where in previous seasons he has given up more than 20. Kendrick has also pitched four complete games, two of them being shutouts. He is one of the Phillies’ strongest starts this season.
In previous seasons, people would not be saying that. When Kendrick was starting you knew you were in for a long game. He would be rocky and have long innings. Honestly, it was surprising he has been able to make it this far.
Kendrick is only going to be 29 years old next season. He has many years of pitching left in him. He has been able to find his groove. Teams may be looking for someone like him. Depending on what the Phillies could get, it may not be a bad idea to shop around. However, The Phillies will also need someone in their rotation. Kendrick is a strong arm. It will be a tough decision to make.
Rebekah is a Philadelphia Phillies writer for www.Rantsports.com. Follow her on Twitter and Google+
