There was talk all offseason about whether the Philadelphia Phillies were running back the same roster as 2025. The lineup may look familiar, but it's the Phillies' bullpen that has a new look and feel to it entering spring training. If anyone is familiar with bullpens, especially playing a key role to close games out, it's former Phillies closer Brad Lidge. Lidge closed out the club's second World Series championship in 2008 and has remained a part of the city ever since.
Recently, Lidge joined 97.5 The Fanatic and talked about the possibility of the Phillies' bullpen being the strength of the team this coming season.
“I think so..." Lidge said about the Phillies' bullpen being the strength of the team. "They can mix and match at the end of the game however they want. In the regular season, you’ll see them do that here and there with however Rob Thomson wants to do that.
"But when it comes down to it, if those guys are healthy going into the postseason and getting to the postseason, that is an almost impossible combination to hit off of at the end of the game. So I agree. I think it’s going to be one of the strengths of the team this year, and I think it’ll be a big advantage come postseason time.”
Brad Lidge Says The Phillies Bullpen Will Be A Huge Advantage in the Playoffs @JonMarksMedia | #Phillies
— 97.5 The Fanatic (@975TheFanatic) February 7, 2026
📸: Emilee Chinn/Getty Images pic.twitter.com/78jYPMTC88
Why Brad Lidge's take on the Phillies' 2026 bullpen is the right one
Last year, the Phillies lost José Alvarado to a PED suspension for half of the season and didn't bring in Jhoan Duran until the trade deadline. Both are in camp as pitchers and catchers reported on Wednesday and should have full seasons at the back end of the bullpen.
The Phillies also signed right-hander Brad Keller for two years and $22 million after he pitched to a 2.07 ERA and 0.96 WHIP and struck out 75 batters across 69 2/3 innings in 2025. The idea is very real that this trio could do a lot of damage across a full season together.
According to FanGraphs, the Phillies project as the third-best bullpen with a 4.6 fWAR. They're projected only behind the Los Angeles Dodgers (5.0) and the San Diego Padres (4.9). Duran, who sported a 2.06 ERA with 32 saves in 2025, is projected to have the highest fWAR (2.1) among Phillies relievers. The next closest is Alvarado at 1.2 fWAR. Thereafter, they have Orion Kerkering (0.8 fWAR), Tanner Banks (0.4 fWAR), Keller (0.2 fWAR), and Jonathan Bowlan (0.1 fWAR).
The Phillies really struggled last season to get the easy outs and to hold leads. They had a flawed back end of the bullpen that relied on the likes of Jordan Romano and his astronomical 8.23 ERA. The Phillies threw him out for 11 save opportunities, three of which were blown.
The Phillies also had to turn to the 40-year-old David Robertson as a late-season addition just for some stability. The Phillies saw a shift once Duran came in. The club finished 20th with a 4.27 bullpen ERA but ranked 11th from Aug. 1 on with a 3.81 ERA.
The Phillies' bullpen is in a much better spot in 2025 without the feeling of trying to catch up. The loss of Matt Strahm may sting, but having both Duran and Alvarado for full seasons will be massive to this club's success closing out games. Keller's arrival will also relieve some pressure off Kerkering, who'll turn 25 in April. The group should be much more equipped to face adversity this season compared to its troubled 2025 campaign.