Sometimes, all a baseball player needs is to change scenery. For Jackson Rutledge, perhaps it is just a quick drive north on I-95.
Rutledge, a Washington Nationals top prospect only a few years ago alongside James Wood, Robert Hassell III, and Cade Cavalli, was not panning out in the nation's capital. A 5.77 ERA last year was just the starting point for Rutledge, who got blown up for seven runs in his only MLB appearance this season.
But there is hope that the 6-foot-8, 27-year-old righty only needs minor tinkering before finding his footing again. On Sunday, the Phillies — who desperately need another reliever — were willing to take that chance, claiming Rutledge off waivers following his DFA by Philadelphia's division rival.
The Philadelphia Phillies have claimed reliever Jackson Rutledge off of waivers. Nats 2019 first-round pick was designated for assignment last week.
— Spencer Nusbaum (@spencernusbaum_) May 10, 2026
Jackson Rutledge has the stuff to succeed, and Phillies fans are hoping he can help a struggling bullpen
Rutledge, drafted 17th overall in 2019 (right behind Corbin Carroll), is a cutter-sinker-splitter pitcher. That kind of arsenal from a pitcher that big could turn into a lot of success. We just haven't seen Rutledge get there yet, and it might be because he is leaving out a successful pitch. Rutledge threw a slider over one-third of the time last year. Opponents hit .194 against that pitch with no home runs. Coincidentally, Rutledge has not thrown that pitch this season. Can Philadelphia get that slider back into his sequences?
We should find that out rather soon. The state of the Phillies' bullpen is a disaster. They are among the bottom-end of the middle of the pack in several categories for National League bullpens. Something needed to be done to try and stop the bleeding, and right now, that might be Jackson Rutledge.
Though his one MLB appearance was forgettable, he has settled into his groove in Triple-A. Across 13 appearances, he boasts a 3.38 ERA with a hold and a save. The Phillies need for him to get back to MLB speed sooner rather than later. At the very least, attempted reinforcements are on the way, and if Don Mattingly's magic touch translates to a division rival's ex-top pick, there might be no limit to what Donnie Baseball can do.
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