Washington Nationals Free Agent Profile: RHP Evan Phillips

With the offseason in full swing and a need to address the pitching staff, the Washington Nationals have an opportunity to reverse course in 2027.

With the Cade Cavalli extension and Connelly Early acquisition giving manager Blake Butera two dependable pieces to lean on in the rotation, the question now turns to who president of baseball operations Paul Toboni can turn to as part of the solution in 2027. Yet after also comfortably setting the MLB record for blown saves in a regular season, the bullpen is as dire of a need as the rotation.

One of maybe the most attractive options is a reliever who grew up not too far from Washington DC: Evan Phillips, the 32 year old and Salisbury, Md. native who officially hit the free agent market last week.

2026 marked a prove it year for Phillips coming off of Tommy John surgery, leading him to ink a one year deal worth $6.5 million in his fifth full season with the Los Angeles Dodgers. After making his season debut in early July, it ended with Phillips recording a 3.46 ERA and 1.08 WHIP, proving to veer not too far off from his pre-injury numbers. His expected ERA reached 4.38, his worst since splitting the 2021 season between the Tampa Bay Rays and Dodgers.

Yet Phillips' production in 2026 only came across 26 innings, while he made five appearances during the Dodgers' postseason run that Milwaukee ended. His strikeout rate proved impressive after eclipsing 31%, the first time he has done so since reaching 33% in 2022, even if that came with a 39.4 hard hit percentage.

Prior to his injury, Phillips had not eclipsed a 4.00 ERA since 2020, his final season with the Baltimore Orioles, before he materialized into the Dodgers' closer in 2023. Phillips also appeared in at least 61 games during his first three full seasons with the Dodgers, though owns just 38 appearances over the last two seasons.

Phillips has an opportunity to step back into his middle relief role in the bullpen, one that would sorely add value to a struggling Nationals' bullpen or add stability as the new closer. The question is whether the Nationals can win out in the race, though, with an expectation that Phillips will command notable interest in free agency. Yet with the end of season roster moves cementing the need for Paul Toboni to find serviceable replacements, Phillips sits among the top free agent fits with a potential pairing adding much more than just a homecoming.