Table of Content
At the Major League Baseball General Managers Meetings in Las Vegas on Tuesday, Detroit Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris made it clear that adding high-leverage bullpen help is the team’s top priority this offseason. Following a disappointing 2026 campaign driven largely by late-inning relief struggles, the Tigers are searching for swing-and-miss relievers, with veteran right-hander Evan Phillips standing out as a target, as reported by sports.yahoo.com.
A Resilient Career Path
Phillips, 32, enters free agency for the first time in his career. Originally selected by the Atlanta Braves in the 17th round of the 2015 draft, he reached the majors in 2018 before being traded to the Baltimore Orioles. Early in his career, persistent control issues forced him to alternate frequently between the major leagues and Triple-A despite high strikeout numbers. After a brief stint with the Tampa Bay Rays, he was claimed off waivers by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2021, where improved strike-throwing consistency established him as one of the game’s premier setup men.
Strong Recovery and Pitch Arsenal
In June 2025, Phillips suffered a torn UCL that required surgery, keeping him out of action until July 2026. Upon returning to the mound, his pitch velocity bounced back to peak levels alongside strong strikeout and walk rates. Over 26 innings in 2026, Phillips recorded a 3.46 ERA, a 31.1 percent strikeout rate, and a 5.7 percent walk rate. His four-seam fastball averaged 96.9 mph with a 26.3 percent whiff rate, while his 86.2 mph sweeper remained an elite weapon, generating a 34.3 percent whiff rate and holding opposing hitters to a .059 batting average.
Although Phillips posted a high 1.73 home runs per nine innings rate by allowing five home runs in 26 innings, four of those homers came during a brief two-week stretch immediately following his July return. From late July through the end of the season, he allowed only one home run, suggesting the spike was largely an anomaly tied to a limited workload.
Contract Projections and Bullpen Fit
FanGraphs analyst Ben Clemens estimates that Phillips will secure a two-year contract worth $20 million in free agency. Adding Phillips to a late-inning group that includes Drew Sommers and Will Vest would significantly bolster Detroit’s bullpen capacity for tight game situations heading into next season.
