Make a list of all the reasons why the Dodger bullpen was not what any of us envisioned at the start of last season, and right at or near the top, you’ll find the absence of Evan Phillips. This bullpen’s most reliable player since he broke out in 2022, Phillips, saw basically his entire 2025 season crushed by injuries.
Well before the Dodgers reported for spring training, it was widely known that Phillips’ 2025 campaign would be somewhat affected by injuries, although no one foresaw an absence of this magnitude. Unavailable in the 2024 World Series due to a right rotator cuff strain, Phillips saw the recovery time of that injury eat into the beginning of his 2025 season, missing the first 21 games of the season.
Phillips was able to start facing hitters in late March already, shortly thereafter going on a rehab assignment in Triple A, one whose negative results in terms of performance didn’t represent a sign of what was to come. Activated on April 18th to replace another high-profile injured reliever in Blake Treinen as the Dodgers kept juggling a flailing bullpen, Phillips made his season debut against the Texas Rangers in a battle of the last two World Series champs.
In a series perhaps most remembered by Kirby Yates promptly blowing a save against his former team, Phillips secured a couple of holds, striking out three of the four batters he faced. Although the exposure was initially limited, as Phillips combined to throw only one inning in the two appearances, the importance of those outs was as significant as it could be. Despite his long absence, Phillips was fed high-leverage work straight away.
Unfortunately for the veteran right-hander, his active contribution to the big league club would be short-lived. Phillips lasted only seven appearances before he once again had to be sidelined with right forearm discomfort, which would eventually lead him to get Tommy John surgery in late May. The Dodgers and Phillips tried to avoid what could be considered a drastic measure by giving him a PRP injection, but it didn’t solve the issue.
Arbitration eligible for the final time in 2026, and due to receive a significant salary for a pitcher who is likely to be out for a decent chunk of the season, at least, Phillips was non-tendered by the Dodgers in November. That move doesn’t necessarily mean the club won’t look to bring him back. In fact, the Dodgers are well-incentivized to resume negotiations with him whenever he does decide to sign for a variety of reasons.
Stats: 0.00 ERA, 1.059 WHIP, 6 K, 2 BB, 5.2 IP, 181 ERA+, 0.4 rWAR, 0.2 fWAR
Phillips earned his only save of 2025 in his second-to-last outing before being sidelined, holding down the teeth of the Braves order in a 2-1 win in Atlanta, punching out a couple of batters (Austin Riley and Marcell Ozuna).
Having made a little over 6 million in 2025, Phillips was due for a similar salary in his final year of arbitration eligibility, but the club opted to non-tender him, making him a free agent. Currently free to sign with any team, Phillips is expected to sign a short-term deal, looking to prove his health in the latter part of 2026.