Hellickson hurts knee in his finale, another Phillies loss

ATLANTA - Six months ago, when Jeremy Hellickson was anointed the Phillies' opening-day starter, he admitted to thinking about the major financial implications of his season. How could he not? The Phillies acquired Hellickson to log innings for a young rotation. His status on a rebuilding team was a chance to raise his profile before free agency this winter.

He did just that. Then, with mere innings left in his season, Hellickson waved his glove for help Thursday in the fourth inning of a 5-2 Phillies loss to Atlanta. A sprained right knee, injured while running the bases, shortened his final start.

The Phillies were relieved to know it was not an elbow or shoulder problem. They have a vested interest in Hellickson's health, even if he does not re-sign with the team. With such a desolate pitching free-agent market, the Phillies plan to extend a qualifying offer to Hellickson soon after the World Series.

That means either Hellickson is pitching again for the Phillies next season with a salary of approximately $17 million or the team nets a high draft pick when he signs elsewhere. It is a gamble, even as the 29-year-old righthander reached a career high in starts (32) and tied a career high in innings (189) while pitching to a 3.71 ERA.

Could he accept the offer?

"I mean, I definitely could see it," Hellickson said. "But . . ."

He'd like a multiyear contract.

"Yeah," he said, "I would love that actually a little bit more. But I think everyone knows how much I enjoyed my time here."

The Phillies tried to trade him in July. They did not receive an offer, Phillies general manager Matt Klentak said, commensurate with the potential draft pick they could obtain this winter. The value of the pick, likely slotted somewhere in the 30s, is between $1.5 million and $2 million toward the club's overall draft bonus pool.

Hellickson, before this season, was not viewed as anything more than a No. 3 or No. 4 starter. But that represents value in a market where Rich Hill, Ivan Nova, and Bartolo Colon are the other top options. Hellickson's agent, Scott Boras, can use contracts awarded last winter to Ian Kennedy (five years, $70 million) and Mike Leake (five years, $80 million) as comparisons. Both Kennedy and Leake owned numbers similar to Hellickson's career stats when they signed; Kennedy was tied to a draft pick like Hellickson.

All of it adds up to Thursday's being Hellickson's final act with the Phillies.

"He hasn't taken anybody under his wing," Phils manager Pete Mackanin said. "But he talks to other pitchers. It's more important just to observe the way he goes about his business. That's leadership, too. If you have a good work ethic, you do things the right way, you're accountable - he's all those things. Players see that."

The Phillies could seek a veteran arm this winter, but they will avoid a multiyear deal. With so few available arms, the Phillies could go into 2017 with a rotation of young starters.

"If there is an opportunity to add a veteran, that's likely something we're going to explore," Klentak said. "But we're not going to hold ourselves into that standard. If the opportunity doesn't present itself, we'll make the adjustments the other way."

Hellickson cruised Thursday before the knee pain. He struck out four in 31/3 innings with just one baserunner on a single. He struck out Dansby Swanson on four change-ups right before he waved for the team's athletic trainer. Hellickson's teammates patted him on the shoulder.

If he accepts the $17 million offer, the Phillies will use Hellickson in 2017 just as they did in 2016. He'll just be richer.

"I don't think we will ever have the luxury of ignoring starting pitching," Klentak said. "Starting pitching is the name of the game. We saw it for the first month or two of the year. Every night we were pitching. Our starters were performing. The back of our bullpen was performing. We were competitive almost every night."

mgelb@philly.com

@MattGelb