The Philadelphia Phillies didn’t need long to realize their latest bullpen experiment wasn’t going to hold.
With Cristopher Sánchez handing over a comfortable 12-2 lead after six innings against the Chicago Cubs on Monday, the Phillies turned to Seth Johnson to bridge the game to the finish line. But what started as the kind of low-leverage spot teams use to protect their high-end arms quickly turned into damage control.
Johnson allowed five runs (three earned) while recording just five outs — the exact opposite of what the Phillies needed from a “fresh arm.” Yes, the game was never in doubt, but outings like that still matter. They tax the bullpen, disrupt usage plans, and, most importantly, force front offices to reassess quickly. And that’s exactly what happened.
Less than 24 hours after asking Johnson to simply “eat innings” in a blowout, the Phillies were already pivoting — and in doing so, they may have quietly landed on a more reliable solution.
Prior to tonight's game, the Phillies recalled RHP Chase Shugart from Lehigh Valley (AAA). To make room on the 26-man roster, RHP Seth Johnson was optioned to Lehigh Valley.
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) April 14, 2026
Phillies recall Chase Shugart after disastrous outing from Seth Johnson
By Tuesday, Johnson was back in Triple-A, and Philadelphia turned to a familiar archetype: a proven, quietly effective reliever.
Chase Shugart might not be a headline name, but his track record suggests he’s exactly what this bullpen needs right now. The former Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander put together a solid 2025 campaign: a 3.40 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP in 35 appearances. It's not flashy, but it's functional. And for a bullpen trying to stabilize its middle innings, functional is valuable.
Even more encouraging? Shugart has picked up right where he left off. Through five Triple-A appearances this season, he’s posted a 1.80 ERA, showing the kind of command and consistency the Phillies were clearly lacking in that Johnson outing.
Teams with postseason expectations don’t wait around for depth arms to “figure it out” in April. They adjust. They churn. They find the guys who can keep games from spiraling — even when the score says they shouldn’t.
Shugart fits that mold better than Johnson right now. He has a better command profile, a proven ability to handle MLB hitters and lower volatility in low-leverage roles. In other words, he’s more likely to do the job Johnson couldn’t: quietly get outs and hand the game off cleanly.
Bullpens are built on trust, and trust is fragile. Johnson was given a low-pressure opportunity and couldn’t convert it into stability. That doesn’t mean he’s out of the Phillies’ long-term plans — but it does mean he’s not the answer today.
Shugart, on the other hand, is stepping into a bullpen that doesn’t need dominance — it needs dependability. And sometimes, especially early in the season, that’s the difference between a minor roster move and a meaningful course correction.
The Phillies didn’t overthink this one. They saw a problem, and they fixed it. Now the question becomes: can Shugart turn a quiet call-up into a lasting role?
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