VIDEO: Dallas Keuchel Jabs Phillies for Overlooking Him in Free Agency After Dominant Performance
By Sam Dunn
Dallas Keuchel is finally figuring this thing out. Battling inconsistency out of the gate in the dog days of summer after signing with the Atlanta Braves three months ago, the former AL Cy Young winner is cooking just in time for the cavalry charge to the playoffs-- and it kind of makes you wonder why so many teams passed on him for so long. Teams like the Philadelphia Phillies, perhaps, who saw Keuchel shut them down Wednesday night to the tune of 1 earned run on 3 hits across a half-dozen innings.
Dallas Keuchel on if there was any extra motivation to beat the #Phillies tonight after what didn’t go down in free agency pic.twitter.com/PXfJQ7SU9p
— Dave Uram (@MrUram) September 12, 2019
You can see it in the man's face. You can see the concerted effort not to go overboard pontificating about how messed up the open market has become in today's MLB for a guy like him -- he's put up six straight starts surrendering 2 runs or fewer and his WHIP is now below last season's number with the Astros -- to stay unsigned for so long.
Keuchel was asked about Phillies and free agency, said they never called him and that he imagines Philly officials "are second-guessing themselves. I know I would be." Zing!
— David O'Brien (@DOBrienATL) September 12, 2019
The Phils, who are locked in the fight of their lives to earn the second NL Wild Card spot and can't afford to lose leads and drop games like they did Wednesday, must be kicking themselves that they didn't pick up the phone and toss Kid Keuchy a prorated one-year deal.
#Phillies release statement on their evaluation of Dallas Keuchel pic.twitter.com/h8TbqUuDn4
— First Time Long Time (@fan_grumpy) September 12, 2019
Lesson learned. If you want to make a big run, it doesn't hurt to have a relentless workhorse with a really gnarly beard.