Since the All-Star break, the Philadelphia Phillies' bullpen is 3-6 with a 4.39 ERA. Their six blown saves trail only the Kansas City Royals and St. Louis Cardinals, two teams who have effectively punted on the 2026 season.
The Phillies used the Aug. 3 MLB trade deadline to acquire two relievers (left-hander Brooks Raley from the New York Mets and right-hander Caleb Kilian from the San Francisco Giants), but the bullpen remains a work in progress.
Of the three losses they have suffered since the deadline, two came in extra innings. On Aug. 5, Kilian and Chase Shugart combined to allow six runs in the 10th inning of a loss to the Washington Nationals. Three days later, the Toronto Blue Jays scored one run in the 10th inning and two in the 11th to beat the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park, with Shugart absorbing the loss.
MORE: Former American League batting champion, 33, announces retirement from MLB
Right-hander Alan Rangel wasn't necessarily the biggest problem the Phillies' bullpen faced. But he quite nearly wasted a rare good start from Andrew Painter in the Phillies' 6-5 win over the Cardinals on Aug. 11.
#cardinals
The Phillies used the Aug. 3 MLB trade deadline to acquire two relievers (left-hander Brooks Raley from the New York Mets and right-hander Caleb Kilian from the San Francisco Giants), but the bullpen remains a work in progress.
Of the three losses they have suffered since the deadline, two came in extra innings. On Aug. 5, Kilian and Chase Shugart combined to allow six runs in the 10th inning of a loss to the Washington Nationals. Three days later, the Toronto Blue Jays scored one run in the 10th inning and two in the 11th to beat the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park, with Shugart absorbing the loss.
MORE: Former American League batting champion, 33, announces retirement from MLB
Right-hander Alan Rangel wasn't necessarily the biggest problem the Phillies' bullpen faced. But he quite nearly wasted a rare good start from Andrew Painter in the Phillies' 6-5 win over the Cardinals on Aug. 11.
#cardinals
2 months ago
