Who do the Phillies trust in the bullpen? The bridge to Jhoan Duran is taking shape.
As the Phillies attempt to lock in a playoff berth, the bullpen is coming into focus with relievers jockeying for position in Don Mattingly’s circle of trust. Here’s what we know.
SEATTLE — Six weeks after the Phillies lost their primary eighth-inning reliever for the season, five weeks before the playoffs, the bridge to Jhoan Duran is taking shape.
And Brooks Raley is emerging as the top lefty.
“Brooks has been easy to trust,” Don Mattingly said as the Phillies continued their West Coast trip here Tuesday. “He’s throwing strikes. He’s not walking people, all that. So, yeah, he’s easy to trust.”
Mattingly’s word choice was notable because, this time of year, there’s only one question for a manager as it relates to the composition of the bullpen: Who do you trust?
Rob Thomson trusted José Alvarado in Game 6 of the 2022 World Series ... and got burned. Craig Kimbrel melted like an ice cube in the 2023 NL Championship Series. It was Jeff Hoffman, Matt Strahm, and Carlos Estévez against the Mets in 2024. Last year, Strahm, David Robertson, and eventually Orion Kerkering were done in by the Dodgers.
The Phillies tweaked the bullpen in the offseason. But their most expensive addition, Brad Keller, had Tommy John elbow surgery last month. Jonathan Bowlan has outkicked expectations. But holdovers Kerkering and Alvarado have been inconsistent.
So, as the Phillies attempt to cement a wild-card spot and close in on the division-leading Braves, the bullpen is coming into focus again, with relievers jockeying for position behind Duran in Mattingly’s circle of trust.
Here’s what we know: Raley is earning more late-inning chances after being acquired in a deadline trade with the rival Mets. But hard-throwing rookie Alex McFarlane isn’t quite there yet.
Let’s start with Raley. After giving up a pair of two-out runs in his Phillies debut on Aug. 5, the 38-year-old lefty has allowed one run on three hits and a walk in six innings over his last seven appearances.
And with Duran unavailable last Tuesday night, Raley picked up his first save since 2023 in a 6-4 victory over the Marlins.
“He’s given up some hits, but I feel like he’s going to make pitches,” Mattingly said. “He’s not going to panic.”
» READ MORE: Batting practice … in a hotel room? It’s part of the ‘routine’ for Luis Arraez, baseball’s most unique hitter
There isn’t a more essential trait in October. Raley has appeared in 15 postseason games, mostly with the Astros, and has a 4.73 ERA that was inflated by a three-run outburst in Game 3 of the 2021 American League division series. He allowed two runs in his last 7⅓ postseason innings.
Raley also has a track record against some of the most dangerous left-handed hitters in the National League. Shohei Ohtani, for instance, is 1-for-7 with three walks and a .506 OPS against him. Freddie Freeman is 1-for-6; Pete Crow-Armstrong and Max Muncy are both 1-for-4 with a walk; Christian Yelich is 1-for-4 with three strikeouts.
And with Alvarado struggling (five earned runs in his last five appearances), Raley appears to be Mattingly’s lefty of choice with a late lead.
From the right side, Bowlan moved into the setup role vacated by Keller. But Mattingly has leaned hard on him and Kerkering, who appears to be catching a second wind after struggling to throw strikes for a stretch in late July.
The Phillies have given McFarlane some higher-leverage tests since recalling him from triple A two weeks ago. The 25-year-old righty has uncorked 32 pitches that reached at least 100 mph, with his fastball averaging 99.9.
But he also has given up three runs (one earned) on five hits and three walks in seven innings.
“I think he’s been good. He’s been fine,” Mattingly said. “But there’s no reason to have to push him forward. ... He’s been easy to trust when I don’t have another righty out there. I trust him in right-handed pockets. I don’t put him in Bowlan’s category yet, or even Kerk’s. But I do put him in the category of like, if you match him up in the right pocket.”
» READ MORE: Inside the hitters’ meeting that sparked the Phillies’ on-base percentage turnaround this month
Mattingly’s level of trust figures to rise as McFarlane’s command improves. He hasn’t issued a walk in his last three appearances after walking the leadoff batter in each of his previous three.
“We talked about the walks earlier with him,” Mattingly said. “He’s thrown strikes for the most part. I think he’s a tough at-bat, especially on the righty, with the combination of his movement and velo. Just the velo, in general.
“The more specific he gets over time with his breaking ball, the fastball, not just throwing it but getting it to an area of the plate. Being able to use both fastballs, the sink and the run straight [four-seamer], those are going to kind of dictate how good he becomes.”
Every appearance is an audition for a larger role. And the auditions will continue for another month.
Extra bases
With a third-inning single Monday night, Bryce Harper became the 34th player to record 1,000 hits with the Phillies. He has 1,922 hits overall, seventh-most among active players behind Freeman, José Altuve, Andrew McCutchen, Paul Goldschmidt, Manny Machado, and Nolan Arenado. ... Aaron Nola (5-9, 5.12 ERA) is lined up to start Tuesday night against Mariners righty George Kirby (8-10, 4.18). The series wraps up Wednesday with Jesús Luzardo (11-5, 3.35) set to face Mariners righty Bryan Woo (9-8, 4.10).
Tony Gwynn Jr. is a former major league outfielder and son of late Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn. Over the last two years, he got to know new Phillies second baseman Luis Arraez, whose contact skills at the plate often draw comparisons to Gwynn. Tony Jr. joined Phillies Extra to discuss his father, Arraez, and the bonds that connect them. Watch here.
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