By Shaun McAvoyShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberThe Philadelphia Phillies may look to continue improving their bullpen this offseason after posting a 4.25 ERA which ranked in the bottom half of the league.
Philadelphia took a step at the trade deadline to improve its bullpen, trading for 27-year-old closer Jhoan Duran amid the Minnesota Twins' fire sale. Duran is one of the most electric relievers in baseball, and will be returning to the Phillies next season after the team reportedly tendered him a contract Friday.
Though the Phillies took a step forward by trading for Duran, Bleacher Report's Zachary Rymer suggests that they could continue to improve their bullpen by signing Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Evan Phillips in free agency.
"The Dodgers are pretty much printing money these days, but ducking a $6.1 million payday for Evan Phillips was still a seemingly inevitable business decision," Rymer wrote Saturday. "Phillips had Tommy John surgery in June, meaning he probably won't be able to get back on the mound until sometime after the All-Star break in 2026.
..."His stock had already been somewhat in decline, as he spent 2024 as a league-average pitcher and was then limited to low-leverage work in the playoffs. A one-year deal with an option for 2027 sounds right for Phillips, and the potential prize involves him being a difference-maker out of the bullpen in a playoff push. Potential Landing Spots: Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox, Philadelphia Phillies."
Phillips missed the majority of the season after undergoing Tommy John surgery, but had not let up a run through seven appearances before that. The 31-year-old's career has taken a massive step forward in his five seasons with the Dodgers, but he won't be available to pitch for most of next season.
Philadelphia could take a chance on Phillips with the hope that the veteran reliever returns to the field in time for a potential playoff run.
More MLB: Dodgers 27-Year-Old Hurler Shares Exciting Injury Update
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