Evan Phillips could have been a name that Philadelphia Phillies fans were excited to hear called upon. Instead, his presence should inspire dread.
According to Jeff Passan of ESPN, the Atlanta Braves have inked the right-handed reliever to a three-year, $35 million contract. It's the biggest free-agent signing of the winter so far, and it may be an indicator of more moves to come.
Only weeks remain between now and the imposed lockout deadline at midnight on December 2. With the Braves bolstering what was already one of the best bullpens in baseball, the Phillies will be hard-pressed to outdo Atlanta.
Phillips joins a pen that includes Didier Fuentes (owner of a 2.45 ERA, who may actually be a starter in 2027), Dylan Lee (3.09 ERA), Dylan Dodd (2.54 ERA), Reynaldo López (4.54 ERA), Victor Mederos (3.41 ERA), Robert Suarez (1.06 ERA) and Ray Kerr (1.47 ERA).
To boot, Phillips has never allowed a postseason run in 18.1 playoff innings. He's exactly the kind of clutch performer who would have fit perfectly on the Phillies. Now, president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski must pivot his focus.
It's entirely possible, though unlikely, that Phillips was never on the Phillies' radar. The right-handed half of the club's bullpen is strong. Jhoan Durán, Alex McFarlane, and Johnathan Bowlan represent a solid bullpen core. It's their left-handed counterparts where the Phillies falter.
Evan Phillips may not have been the kind of bullpen help the Phillies were looking for
Headed into the 2027 season, the Phillies' most reliable lefty was Tim Mayza. The 34-year-old Allentown local has a solid career and was a shutdown arm for the Toronto Blue Jays in 2022 and '23. Last year was a resurgence for him, as he threw more innings than ever before in his career (67.1 IP) with a 3.48 ERA, but he's no World Series contender's idea of a late-inning weapon.
Perhaps it's for those reasons that the Phillies balked at Phillips' asking price. If the managing partner John Middleton is going to spend big money on a reliever, the smart path to doing so is on a lefty, not a righty.
While Adrian Morejón has a qualifying offer attached, Alex Vesia (owner of a 1.59 playoff ERA in 22.2 IP) has no such concerns, nor do A.J. Minter or Sean Newcomb, both of whom also have strong playoff résumés.
Phillips would have been a flashy addition to the Phillies 'pen. Unfortunately, he may have been out of the team's price range for a good reason. So fans don't need to panic just yet. Come the lockout, though, if Philadelphia still lacks for bullpen additions, then it will be time to hit the alarm.
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