We finally got ourselves a televised game on Wednesday after putting up with a couple of days of non-televised Grapefruit League action. The Philadelphia Phillies (0-3) were back at home against the Detroit Tigers (0-3) and fans were treated to their first look at offseason acquisition Brad Keller.
Brought in on a two-year, $22 million contract, the Phillies are counting on the big right-hander to be a high-leverage option out of the bullpen this season. In his spring training debut, Keller impressed in a 1-2-3 first inning.
He wasn't facing Double-A scrubs either. He got former Phillie Matt Vierling on a soft lineout to third, struck out former top prospect Colt Keith on three straight swinging strikes, and then induced an easy groundout from 2025 All-Star Gleyber Torres. He needed just 11 pitches (eight strikes) to get through his first frame of spring.
Brad Keller brings mid-season velo to first spring appearance with Phillies
It's hard to read much into spring training results, especially in February, but Keller looked superb on the mound in red pinstripes. The 30-year-old didn't waste any time pumping up the velocity in the Florida sun. Relying primarily on his sinker and four-seamer, he had his fastballs sitting around 96 mph and topped out his sinker at 97.3 mph on his final pitch of the inning. He also threw one sweeper and one slider.
"Ya, [he looked] very good," Thomson said of Keller during his in-game interview. "Velocity was good, threw strikes, threw a couple of really good sliders."
Keller's strong Phillies debut comes on the heels of a live session last week that had his manager Rob Thomson effusive with praise, according to NBC Sports Philadelphia's Sean Kane.
“It’s probably the best group of arms that we’ve had since I’ve been here,” Rob Thomson said, per Kane, following Keller's first live session that also saw fellow bullpen newcomers Jonathan Bowlan and Kyle Backhus throw to some of the Phillies' top hitters. Keller got Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber out on routine fly balls.
Keller is a converted starter who put together a career season in 2025 in the Chicago Cubs bullpen. He posted a 2.07 ERA and 0.96 WHIP with 75 strikeouts in 69 2/3 innings, and got his first taste of the postseason.
Keller is also a notable addition to the Phillies as he has already experienced what ace Zack Wheeler is going through currently. He underwent the same thoracic outlet syndrome surgery in 2023 that Wheeler had in September. After going through some struggles in 2024, posting a 5.44 ERA, Keller said this offseason that it took him a while to get his velocity back up and feel like himself again.
Based on his first performance as a Phillie, his velocity already looks to be in mid-season form.