Phillies To Sign Reliever Mike Adams

The Phillies had trouble getting a lead all the way to closer Jonathan Papelbon last season and it appears they have found an answer. The team is close to a two year agreement with reliever Mike Adams with a vesting option for 2015, according to Tim Brown of Yahoo Sports.

The 34 year old Adams is coming off of a difficult 2012 season. He threw 52 innings for the Texas Rangers last season with a uncharacteristic 3.27 ERA, his worst since his 2008 return to the majors. He missed the final week of the 2012 season with Thoracic Outlet Syndrome and needed surgery to correct the issue in October.

Prior to 2012, Adams was among the better relievers in baseball. From 2009-2011 with the Padres and Rangers, Adams had the best ERA of any reliever in baseball with a 1.42 mark over 177 innings.

He would give Philadelphia the eighth inning help they desperately needed last year. While closer Jonathan Papelbon was excellent, the rest of the Phillies bullpen struggled, posting a 3.94 ERA, the 7^th worst in the National League. If healthy Adams should give them another elite arm at the end of games and go a long way to fixing their bullpen issues.