After Philadelphia Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski's sneakily good construction of the bullpen until it's become the veteran flame-throwing conglomerate it is now heading into the postseason it's intriguing to see all the potential ways manager Rob Thompson could utilize this plethora of pitching from the bullpen.
Knowing this is one of the team's weakest aspects, Dombrowski made one of the biggest (and best) moves of the trade deadline, acquiring a legitimate closer who can handle tight leads in the most stressful of situations. Jhoan Duran has proven to be one of the defining members of the Phillies' postseason push. However, with the recent acquisitions of veterans Tim Mayza and Walker Buehler, Dombrowski has worked beyond the trade deadline to get the bullpen back on track after it was one of the weakest parts of the team in the first half.
With a massive series win over the red-hot Milwaukee Brewers to start the final, and arguably toughest, month of the season, this team is beginning to resemble its scrappy underdog roots from its most successful playoff run in 2022. Whether you love him or hate him, one thing all Phillies fans should be able to agree on this year is that Dombrowski has successfully constructed the bullpen to be a powerhouse.
HEAT CHECK 🔥#RingTheBell pic.twitter.com/tVrxdujAtx
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) September 4, 2025
What could Phillies' bullpen look like come October if Tim Mayza and Walker Buehler work out?
Some of the more consistent members of the bullpen from years past, like Matt Strahm and Orion Kerkering, have had, for lack of a better word, rollercoaster seasons. However, after picking up Duran, they have relaxed into their new roles.
With their nerves settling, the bullpen can begin to lock into the roles they have demonstrated they can handle and allow Duran, along with these other seemingly successful acquisitions from free agency and the waiver wire, to carry the heavy load. With that in mind, expect the Phillies' postseason bullpen to resemble something along these lines:
Role | Player |
|---|---|
Closer | Jhoan Duran, RHP |
Setup | Tim Mayza, LHP |
Setup | David Robertson, RHP |
Middle Relief | Matt Strahm, LHP |
Middle Relief | Orion Kerkering, RHP |
Middle Relief | Tanner Banks, LHP |
Long Man | Taijuan Walker, RHP |
Long Man | Walker Buehler, RHP |
Mayza, a lefty who has been a reliever his entire career, spent the first half of the season across the Keystone State with the Pittsburgh Pirates, posting a 2.89 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP, with one walk in 9 1/3 innings. While only having pitched in one game for the Phillies, it was an impressive 1-2-3 outing in the crazy series opener against the Brewers.
Hopefully he can prove that once José Alvarado is ineligible to be on the roster, Mayza, as a veteran, can step into the role everyone envisioned for Alvarado if the Phillies were lucky enough to make it back to the postseason.
Buehler, on the other hand, who is expected to make his debut with the Phillies on Sept. 12, is about to start his tenure vying for a spot in the starting rotation before heading out to the bullpen. Even in Zack Wheeler's absence, the Phillies still have one of the strongest rotations in baseball. That is just a fact.
Buehler is coming to the Phillies looking like Taijuan Walker circa 2024. However, if there's one pitching coach who can help this former two-time All-Star and World Series Champion return to form, it's Caleb Cotham. Both his and Buehler's Vanderbilt education will enable the Phillies pitching coach to help the once-dominant starter carve out a place in this new era of pitching as he continues to recover from his second Tommy John surgery.
Cotham has had recent success in reforming Walker to become a successful reliever this season. His ability to understand the foundation of a fellow Vanderbilt grad in Buehler should help him get through to the struggling vet. If successful, it gives the Phillies a chance to have two long men comfortable going deep into a game, if need be, as they both have experience starting. Walker and Buehler share a combined 217 1/3 innings pitched as starters between the Phillies and Red Sox.
In terms of middle relievers, lefties Tanner Banks and Strahm provide a solid duo who have consistently pitched well against both righties and lefties in higher-leverage situations. The third, and final, middle reliever, righty Kerkering has continued to grow into a successful bullpen presence.
However, with the re-acquisition of right-hander David Robertson, the moments in which Kerkering falls short become more apparent. Having him still gaining postseason experience, with his ability to handle high-pressure spots, serves both his career and the team exceptionally well, all while Robertson and Mayza assume the role of the team's setup men dealing from both sides rounding out the cast that sets the stage for Philadelphia's bullpen star Duran.