The bullpen was one of the biggest strengths for the Philadelphia Phillies during the 2024 regular season. While some of the relievers stumbled in October, there is good reason to believe that many of the pitchers will return to form in 2025 based on track record.
There are chances of some high-leverage relivers not returning to the Phillies in 2025, however. Both Jeff Hoffman and Carlos Estévez are free agents this coming offseason.
According to Spotrac, Hoffman is due for around a $4 million raise from his $2.2 million salary in 2024, and Estévez is projected to get a significant bump in salary from his $6.75 million last season to around $14 million per season in 2025.
Given those numbers, it is unlikely that the club will bring both right-handed relievers back. If that is the case, and no other high-leverage pieces are added to the Phillies' relief corps, it would seem that Orion Kerkering will see a much larger role in the club's bullpen next season.
Orion Kerkering due for a bigger role in Phillies bullpen in 2025
Kerkering had a solid 2024 season and has earned a shot at a larger role. His ascent to his position was unique in that he rose through four minor league levels before making his major league debut in September of 2023. While he only pitched in three regular season games in 2023, he was tasked with getting big outs in the postseason of the same season. Being so new to the big leagues, the rookie struggled with command in some of those games.
With some added experience, the hard-throwing right-hander performed well in his first full season with the Phillies as he posted a 2.29 ERA, a 1.08 WHIP and a 10.6 K/9 over the course of 63 innings. Kerkering was one of the relievers who did not get consistently lit up by the New York Mets in the NLDS.
In 3 2/3 postseason innings in this year's NLDS, he allowed just one earned run despite allowing runners to reach base six times in that short span. Kerkering learned to lean on his fastball more often in 2024. He still uses the sweeper 55.7 percent of the time, however, to set up his 97.6 mph four-seamer and 96.4 mph sinker.
Both his fastball and sweeper are solid major league pitches. He has the stuff and now the experience to be placed in more high-leverage roles. He is an inexpensive and powerful arm that can be a valuable part of the backend of the Phillies bullpen for the foreseeable future.