Phillies Stay or Go: Kyle Kendrick

Share

Over the next two weeks, we'll take a look at Phillies on the bubble -- players who may or not may not return in 2015 because of their contract situation or a desire by the team to move on.

Kyle Kendrick, starting pitcher

Age: 30

Contract: Kendrick will enter free agency for the first time.

2014 season
Kendrick won 10 games, marking the sixth season he has won double digits. In Phillies’ history, only Grover Cleveland Alexander, Steve Carlton, Curt Simmons and Cole Hamels have won at least 10 games in six different seasons.

But before a game of “which of these names doesn’t belong” begins, Kendrick’s second straight 10-13 record with a career-high 199 innings and 121 strikeouts wasn’t as good as it looked. That is, if a losing season with a 4.61 ERA can look good at all.

In 32 starts, Kendrick gave up 33 runs and 51 hits in the first inning — nearly twice as many as he allowed in the next highest inning. Hitters batted .357 and hit eight homers in the first inning off Kendrick, but hit just .258 with 17 homers in all of the other innings combined.

Kendrick was 42nd of 43 pitchers who qualified for the ERA title in the National League and 83rd out of 88 pitchers in the majors. Hitters batted .276 off Kendrick, which was 82nd of the 88 qualified pitchers.

Amazingly, Kendrick led the Phillies with 10 wins. He ended the season with a 2.78 ERA in September allowing just one run in three of his final five starts. And he's been durable, turning in 87 starts over the last three seasons.

Signature game of 2014
Kendrick saved his best effort for last. In his season finale on Sept. 24 in Miami, Kendrick held the Marlins to one run on six hits and no walks over seven innings. He also went 3 for 3 with a double and an RBI in the 2-1 win.

Kendrick started off September with a three-hitter over seven innings in a win against the Braves and reached seven innings while allowing two runs or fewer in six starts.

Stay or go?
Kendrick came up from Double A Reading as an emergency starter in June of 2007 and aside from a few stretches here and there, has been with the Phillies ever since. Indeed, Kendrick has a knack for survival and perseverance and certainly is a contributor to a major-league roster.

But it seems likely that Kendrick’s career will benefit from a change of scenery. Moreover, the Phillies need to test some unproven starting pitchers like Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez and that will be easier to do with Kendrick out of the way.

There are plenty of teams in the big leagues that will need a No. 4 or 5 starter like Kendrick.

What they’re saying …
“After I was done in the seventh inning, I kind of soaked it in a little bit. I looked around. I’ve been with these guys a while, especially Jimmy [Rollins], Cole [Hamels], Chase [Utley], Ryan [Howard] Chooch [Ruiz]. It was a little emotional, I’m not going to lie. Change is never easy. If it happens, I’ll deal with it.”
- Kyle Kendrick, Sept. 25, 2014

“Going forward we’re going to need starting pitching next season. I wouldn’t totally eliminate [Kendrick] from the picture. He’s shown improvement the second half. He’s shown what he can do when he keeps the ball down and commands his pitches.”
- Ryne Sandberg, Sept. 25, 2014

Contact Us