Phillies Linked to Key Dodgers Bullpen Piece

As the offseason begins, one way for the Philadelphia Phillies to improve next season is to address some of the concerns in the bullpen. Philadelphia had a strong unit, but toward the end of the season, it did start to unravel a little bit.

The Phillies could look to free agency to deal with the bullpen problems, and there are plenty of options to choose from. One name that could be interesting is veteran right-hander Evan Phillips from the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Phillips was predicted to sign with the Phillies by MLB analyst Anthony Franco of MLB Trade Rumors. The contract projection given to the veteran right-hander came in at two years, $24 million, which seems accurate for a player of his stature. 

The right-hander returned from UCL surgery last season for the Dodgers, becoming a key piece of the bullpen again for the team. Phillips was a little rusty at the start of his season, but as he got more comfortable, he became dominant for Los Angeles.

Over his last 15 innings pitched, Phillips posted a 1.80 ERA, striking out 21 batters while walking just three. The Dodgers were very happy with how Phillips was able to bounce back from the injury, and he could help bolster the Phillies' bullpen.

One area of concern for Phillips coming off the surgery was whether his velocity would return, which made him a force to deal with. But Phillips did see his fastball get up to 97 mph upon his return, limiting any cause for concern for interested teams.

Phillips could serve the Phillies well, giving the team a player who has thrived in high-leverage situations during his career. Prior to his surgery in 2025, Phillips was one of the better relief pitchers in baseball, giving the Dodgers a massive option out of the bullpen.

Between 2022-25 with the Dodgers, Phillips posted a 2.14 ERA over 184.2 innings of work, with Los Angeles bringing his career back to life. The right-hander had a 29.6 percent strikeout rate, compared to a 6.6 walk rate.

This is exactly the type of productivity that the Phillies could use from a relief pitcher, giving manager Don Mattingly someone to work in the late innings. Phillips could also be a closer as well, with him recording 45 saves during that stretch of time.

Overall, Phillips could be a lower-cost option for Philadelphia to drastically improve the bullpen for next season. The right-hander is a veteran presence who has won titles in his career, which could help the clubhouse entirely.