Matt Klentak says the Philadelphia Phillies have placed a priority on adding a veteran pitcher this offseason.

In recent months, Pete Mackanin has publicly stated his desire to add an experienced bat or two.

"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. ... We were competitive almost every night. At times, throughout the rest of the season, we've sputtered along. ... But if you can dictate the pace of the game on the mound, you always have a chance to win. We're never going to ignore that."