Ranking the Top 5 greatest relief pitchers in Phillies franchise history

No. 5: Ron Reed

Ron Reed played for the Phillies from 1976 through 1983 while pitching in 458 games. The 458 games are good for sixth most in Phillies history, and his 90 saves put him seventh on the all-time Phillies saves list. He finished his Phillies career with a 3.06 ERA, 3.07 FIP, and 1.151 WHIP over 809 innings. The right-hander registered a career 9.2 fWAR as a reliever, which makes him the most valuable relief pitcher over the entirety of their career in Phillies history.

While most of the pitchers on this list are bonafide ninth-inning closers, Reed was known for his versatility and ability to eliminate threats when they came up, regardless of the inning. In his career, he made 396 appearances in the eighth inning, 359 in the seventh inning, and 325 in the ninth.

Winning matters in Philadelphia and Reed did just that. In the eight seasons that Reed was on the team, the Phillies reached the playoffs six times and reached the World Series twice. He won the World Series in 1980, the first in franchise history, and was a major contributor to that championship. He appeared in five games during that postseason, with the team winning four of them.

Reed's versatility, career longevity, and contribution to a championship rank him fifth among the all-time greatest Phillies relievers.