The Philadelphia Phillies were once again an unstoppable force during the 2025 MLB season. They posted a 96-66 record, one win better than 2024, and repeated as National League East champions. With Phillies hitters roaring and their starting pitching being second to none, they appear ready for another deep postseason run.
However, Philadelphia has had one main weakness that unfortunately lingered throughout their current campaign after costing them in last year's NLDS. That lone weakness that should have Phillies fans worried in their quest for the World Series title in October is their unpredictable bullpen.
Phillies' bullpen could be the difference between winning it all or going home early in the 2025 MLB playoffs
Despite having the likes of Orion Kerkering, Matt Strahm, Tanner Banks and now Jhoan Duran anchoring the relief corps, the bullpen has struggled as a unit over the course of the 2025 season. In fact, their relievers ranked in the bottom third of the league in ERA (4.27), WHIP (1.33), opponents batting average (.249) and blown saves (27).
So unless the Phillies starters all pitch complete games, their relief corps will be bound to factor into the equation in the playoffs. With those worrisome numbers, winnable games could easily be lost.
More significantly, the most glaring statistic about the Phillies bullpen is the fact that it ranked third to last in the league in strikeouts (505) and dead last in all of MLB in ground ball double plays induced with just 22 all season. The MLB Playoffs will no doubt be filled with games involving high-leverage situations in which a key strikeout or double play could ultimately determine the outcome. With the Phillies relievers inept in producing such outcomes during the regular season, it could be their Achilles heel in the postseason.
In terms of the bullpen stability for Philadelphia, with the dismal underwhelming performances by key offseason acquisitions Jordan Romano and Joe Ross, José Alvarado's PED suspension and the regression of 2024 standout José Ruiz, the Phillies were forced to look for makeshift replacements over the final two months of the season.
They had to turn to reuniting with 40-year-old veteran David Robertson, claiming 33-year-old Tim Mayza off waivers and signing Los Angeles Dodgers castoff Lou Trivino as organizational pitching depth. Trivino has been solid in limited action for Philadelphia, but both Robertson and Mayza have both been up and down so far as far as results are concerned.
The Phillies and their fans don’t need to fret much about their offense and starting rotation. However, their beleaguered bullpen could potentially make or break Philadelphia’s chances of capturing the World Series when all is said and done.