Klentak confident offense headed in right direction

ATLANTA — A couple of weeks ago, Pete Mackanin said he hoped the Phillies would acquire a couple impact bats in the offseason.

He asked for just one on Tuesday.

But will he get even that? It remains to be seen. Phillies general manager Matt Klentak said Wednesday at Turner Field that he agreed with Mackanin that the Phillies’ offense needed to improve in 2017 — the Phillies are last in baseball, averaging 3.80 runs per game — but it doesn’t mean it must come in free agency.

“Every decision that we make will be measured against the short-term implications and the long-term implications,” Klentak said. “We want to do everything we can to field the most competitive team on the field that we possibly can. We also want to make sure we continue to provide opportunities to our young players to develop. That’s the fine line that we’ll have to tiptoe all offseason.”

This winter’s free-agent class is considered the weakest in years, so it is unlikely the Phillies will sign a free-agent …

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