A pleasant surprise during this rough patch for the Philadelphia Phillies has been rookie Tyler Phillips. Phillips was drafted by the Texas Rangers in the 16th round of the 2015 MLB Draft. The Phillies claimed Phillips off waivers in 2021.
Phillips was 7-3 with a 4.89 ERA in 15 starts this season with Triple-A Lehigh Valley, including two complete games. The 26-year-old made his major league debut on July 7 against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park.
Phillies rookie Tyler Phillips credits legend Cole Hamels for helping him find early success
Phillips’ debut went about as well as it could’ve gone. He came in for relief on a day that Michael Mercado couldn’t make it out of the second inning and pitched four innings only allowing three hits and one earned run that came off a solo home run. Phillips struck out seven batters across those four innings, breaking a 123-year-old franchise record for most strikeouts by any pitcher in relief in a major league debut.
Phillips credits a Phillies legend and former ace, Cole Hamels, for his early success in the majors. He’s a New Jersey native and grew up a big Phillies fan.
“Routine was something that came to fruition through Cole Hamels being with the Rangers for his little time there,” Phillips said on The Phillies Show podcast with Ruben Amaro Jr., Jim Salisbury and Todd Zolecki. “And you know that's a guy that I've always looked up to throughout my entire life, you know, Philly legend to me.”
Baseball players are creatures of habit. Most players have their own routines and superstitions that they take very seriously. It can be tough for a young player to figure out his routine while trying to climb up the ladder in an organization. Phillips studied Hamels’ routine and the way he went about preparing for a season and each start.
“Then you just watch guys like him throughout his day whenever you can and he takes care of everything," Phillips said about Hamels. "Like his lifting routine, his eating routine, his sleep routine and his throwing routine and you just kind of see this is a guy who takes care of all this and there's a direct correlation to success.
"I think that just takes a maturity level for a young kid to just buy into it and say, ‘You know what, like that works, this guy has been really good for his whole career and it makes sense why because he has his routine.’”
The Phillies decided to move Phillips to the starting rotation while players were recovering from injury. The right-hander made his first career start on July 13 against the Oakland Athletics. He went six innings and let up four runs but was able to pick up his first career win.
Tyler Phillips has made a strong case to stay in the starting rotation
Phillips dominated in his next two starts. He pitched a combined 15 innings of scoreless baseball, including a complete game shutout against the Cleveland Guardians on July 27. He suffered his first career loss on Aug. 2 in Seattle, in which he only lasted 1 2/3 innings and allowed eight runs. He got back on track against the Dodgers in his most recent start, going five innings and picking up the win.
The Phillies have to decide what to do with Phillips when Ranger Suárez returns from the IL. Manager Rob Thomson is flirting with the idea of switching to a six-man rotation to keep his starters’ arms fresh in the final stretch of the regular season.
Phillips is pitching too well to move out of the rotation. We saw the controversy earlier in the season when Taijuan Walker returned from injury and Thomson moved Spencer Turnbull to the bullpen. Phillips is 4-1 with a 4.83 ERA in six games with the Phillies.
Phillips is an easy player to root for. He’s a hometown guy who works hard and appreciates the opportunities he’s given. He has forced the Phillies to make a tough decision but in a good way.