The Dodgers non-tendered Phillips in November in lieu of paying him $6.1 million in arbitration, as he will likely miss most — if not all — of the 2026 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2025. ar Phillips report is “on the Dodgers’ radar.”
The Dodgers claimed Phillips off waivers from the Tampa Bay Rays in 2021, and he immediately produced results for LA out of the bullpen.
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He had a respectable 3.48 ERA in his first season with the Dodgers, pitching 10.1 innings in seven appearances.
Phillips played a bigger role the following season, posting a dominant ERA of 1.14 through 64 appearances and setting a career high with seven wins on the season. He also had a career high in strikeouts that season, recording 77 Ks in 63 innings pitched.
The right-hander took over as the Dodgers’ primary closer in 2023, making 24 saves in 27 attempts, and his 2.05 ERA is still the second-best mark he has posted in a season in which he has made more than 10 appearances.
2024 did not go as well as the previous two seasons, although Phillips still played an important role in the Dodgers’ push to the World Series. He appeared in 61 games, passed the 60 mark for the third time in as many seasons, and has an ERA of 3.62.
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The 31-year-old made seven appearances in the 2025 season before landing on the injured list, failing to allow a run through 5.2 innings pitched.
Signing Phillips wouldn’t immediately solve the Dodgers’ need for a reliever in 2026, but would return an MLB-proven arm to the bullpen and provide some stability for future seasons.
Photo credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn images
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