5 most legendary Phillies relief pitchers of all time

Who are the greatest relief pitchers in Philadelphia Phillies franchise history?

In the long and storied history of the Philadelphia Phillies, there have been many legendary players.

Since MLB is currently in lockout and teams can’t sign anyone new, we’re looking back at the most legendary players to ever wear the Phillies uniform. We started with starting pitchers, and now pick up the bullpen phone to call for a reliever.

Or, the five greatest relief pitchers in franchise history, to be precise.

5. Steve Bedrosian

Since the Cy Young Award’s inception in 1956, only nine relief pitchers have won baseball’s highest pitching honor. Steve Bedrosian is one of them.

One of only four Phillies pitchers to win a Cy Young (though Steve Carlton won four), and the only bullpenner to do so, Bedrosian pitched well for the Phillies in one of their many postseason-less eras. Over four years in Philadelphia (1986-89), Bedrosian logged a 3.29 ERA over 218 games, including finishing 188 and earning 103 saves. In his Cy Young season in 1987, he posted a 2.83 ERA and led MLB with 40 saves.

Bedrosian finished his Phillies career with the third-most saves (103) in franchise history, one of only five Phillies pitchers with 100+ saves in a Phillies uniform. His 188 games finished ranks ninth all-time.

His son Cam is on the Phillies now, though he hasn’t been nearly as successful.

4. Ron Reed

Before joining the Phillies, Ron Reed spent 10 years with the Atlanta Braves and had the distinction of being the winning pitcher the night Hank Aaron hit his 715th home run to set a new MLB record. He was also a power forward in the NBA for two years during his MLB years, though his baseball career soon eclipsed the basketball.

Joining the Phillies in 1976, Reed immediately had one of the best seasons of his versatile and varied career, lowing his ERA to under 3 for the first time since 1967. Over eight years in Philly, he compiled a 3.06 ERA over 458 games, including nine starts, 255 games finished, and 90 saves. He even pitched one complete game.

Reed’s first three Phillies seasons were arguably his best; he appeared in 59+ games, pitched 108+ innings, finished 31+ games, and earned 14+ saves in each, never posting an ERA above 2.75. He faced a grand total of 1,422 batters in those first three years, and only allowed 100 earned runs.

In the postseason, Reed made 21 appearances for the Phillies between 1976-83. 13 of those appearances were scoreless. During the 1980 postseason run, Reed rebounded from a 4-run shelling in Game 2 of the NLCS, following it up with four shutout appearances en route to the franchise’s first championships.

On the franchise leaderboards, Reed’s .600 W-L% is tied for 10th in Phillies history, his 1.151 WHIP is 10th, and he’s seventh in saves (90). Reed is one of only seven pitchers to appear in 400+ games; Hector Neris became the seventh in 2021. Of all the Phillies closers, only Tug McGraw finished more games.

Reed is also the only Phillies pitcher with 100 wins, 100 saves, and 50 complete games to his name (over his entire career).

2. Jonathan Papelbon

If we’re being honest, Jonathan Papelbon is probably best remembered for his Red Sox career. However, as the Phillies’ all-time saves leader, he ranks high on our list.

The Phillies signed Papelbon as a free agent after a successful stint with the Red Sox that included four consecutive All-Star elections and a 2007 World Series ring. He impressed immediately in his first season in Philadelphia, once again having an All-Star season in 2012, and leading the NL in games finished, setting a career-high of 64. He also set new career-bests in strikeouts (92) and innings pitched (70).

Papelbon’s 123 saves as the Phillies’ closer leads the franchise by a significant margin, and he’s one of only five Phillies closers with 100+ saves. His 204 Phillies games finished is fifth all-time, and his 8.8 Win Probability Added is seventh all-time, higher than any other reliever on this list.

Unlike Brad Lidge, Papelbon never pitched in the postseason for the Phillies, as he joined the team the year after their most recent postseason berth.

1. Tug McGraw

For statistical, postseason, and emotional, nostalgic, ‘how can you not be romantic about baseball?’ reasons, Tug McGraw is the Phillies reliever to end all Phillies relievers.

Joining the Phillies in his age-30 season in 1975 after nine years with the New York Mets, McGraw impressed immediately. His first season in red pinstripes was an All-Star one; the southpaw bounced back from his 1974 struggles in Queens, lowering his ERA from 4.16 over 88 2/3 innings, to 2.98 over 102 2/3.

Over ten seasons in Philadelphia, McGraw compiled a 3.10 ERA over 463 games, including finishing 313, making three starts, and earning 94 saves.

Between the 1976 NLCS and the 1981 NLDS, McGraw pitched in 18 postseason games for the Phillies. Over 30 2/3 innings, he posted a 2.64 ERA, and went 5-for-5 in save opportunities. He only allowed one home run in his Phillies postseason career.

The definition of a workhorse, McGraw pitched in all five games of the 1980 NLCS, against the then-National League Houston Astros. He then appeared in four of six World Series games. In Game 6, McGraw loaded the bases in the ninth inning before striking out Willie Wilson to give the Phillies their first championship in 97 years of Phillies baseball.

McGraw tragically passed away in January 2004, after a 10-month battle with glioblastoma; he was only 59 years old.

Before Game 3 of the 2008 World Series, his son, country music star Tim McGraw, spread some of his father’s ashes on the mound. The Phillies won the game and went on to win the championship, their first since McGraw himself threw the final pitch in 1980.