The Philadelphia Phillies’ bullpen has sorely missed departed free agents Jeff Hoffman and Carlos Estévez in the early going this season, and finding another reliable late-inning arm will likely be atop the team’s to-do list once trade season is underway.
The Phillies’ bullpen currently sits 22nd in the league with a 4.62 ERA, and their eight blown saves in 20 chances are tied for the most in the majors.
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A trio of lefties in Jose Alvarado (18 G, six SV, four HLD, 2.84 ERA, 11.4 K/9), Matt Strahm (19 G, two SV, four HLD, 3.24 ERA, 11.3 K/9) and Tanner Banks (17 G, 3.93 ERA, 9.8 K/9) have been the team’s only reliable bullpen options, so finding a right-hander who can fill a late-inning role will top the wish list.
Hard-throwing Pete Fairbanks is in the final season of a three-year, $12 million deal with the Tampa Bay Rays, though with a $7 million club option for the 2026 season, he also has the potential to be more than just a rental pickup.
Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Pete Fairbanks (29) throws a pitch against the New York Yankees in the ninth inning at George M. Steinbrenner Field.Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
He has posted back-to-back 20-save seasons as the closer in Tampa Bay, and sports a 1.65 ERA and 1.10 WHIP with eight saves in 17 appearances to kick off the 2025 season.
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The 31-year-old is earning $3.8 million this year, which might not sound like much to a major market club like the Phillies, but is enough to make him the sixth-highest-paid player on the Tampa Bay roster, and cutting costs is a perennial focal point for the front office.
The Phillies showed a willingness to mortgage quality prospect talent to upgrade the bullpen a year ago when they acquired Estévez from the Los Angeles Angels at the 2024 deadline, and they figure to be in a similar position this summer.
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