The bullpen has been the topic of multiple discussions for the Philadelphia Phillies this season. It was a desperate need for the team heading into the MLB trade deadline, and they got their lockdown closer in Jhoan Duran. While they addressed one need, the rest of the Phillies' bullpen still needed to do their part to have success all around. One player who hasn't gotten enough credit for his contributions is left-hander Tanner Banks.
Banks was acquired by the Phillies from the Chicago White Sox at last year's trade deadline. He was a very under-the-radar move, considering he finished last season with a 3.98 ERA in 63 games. Of those games, 22 were with the Phillies, in which he pitched to a 3.70 ERA.
This year, he has hit another gear. In 51 games so far, he has a 3-2 record with a 3.16 ERA and 0.97 WHIP with 50 strikeouts in 51 1/3 innings. That marks his career low in ERA since his rookie year in 2022 (3.06 ERA).
Tanner Banks proving he's worthy of performing in higher-leverage situations for Phillies
Banks has been effective in later ball games. Overall, he's pitching to a 3.86 ERA in games where he appeared in the seventh inning or later. The number is modest considering Tanner Banks' career 3.71 ERA, but where he really comes into play is when he's facing left-handed hitters.
Since July 1, against left-handed hitters in the seventh inning or later, Banks hasn't allowed a run with an opposing batting average of .100 and a .282 OPS against 11 batters faced in 10 games. His season-long numbers in the same late-inning situations versus 52 lefties are also impressive, with a 1.88 ERA, .170 batting average against and .475 OPS.
Against 82 lefty batters faced in all of 2025, Banks has a 1.57 ERA and is rocking an opposing batting average of .158 with a minuscule .450 OPS.
The Phillies have had question after question of whom they can rely on in the biggest spots. Banks has really settled in and found himself a big part of the Phillies bullpen down the stretch run towards the postseason.
The Phillies trade for Duran was the biggest headline, without question, per MLB.com's Todd Zolecki. They needed a big-time closer to lock down potentially massive postseason wins, but it's the other surrounding arms they'll have to rely on to get there first.
Banks has filled in before, but now we see him growing into a much more valuable asset to the Phillies' World Series aspirations by the day.