Phillies claim reliever Reggie McClain off waivers from Seattle

The Phillies continued Friday to scour the margins for relief help when they claimed right-hander Reggie McClain off waivers from Seattle.

The Phillies have claimed three relievers this offseason and signed three others to minor-league deals, but have yet to sign a free-agent reliever to a major-league contract. Instead, they are hoping to find value in pitchers such as McClain, who throws in the mid-90s but has appeared in just 14 major-league games.

McClain, 27, spent most of last season in the minors, where he pitched in three levels and had a 2.23 ERA in 29 games. He posted a 6.00 ERA in 14 games with the Mariners and registered 11 strikeouts and 13 walks in 21 innings.

Trevor Kelley, who was claimed in November, was designated for assignment to make room for McClain. The Phillies also claimed right-hander Robert Stock in October and signed veterans Bud Norris, Drew Storen, and Francisco Liriano in January to minor-league deals.

The five acquisitions will compete for the last remaining jobs in the team’s eight-man bullpen. Right-handers Hector Neris and Seranthony Dominguez and left-handers Adam Morgan and Jose Alvarez are safe bets to make the roster as long as they are healthy. A fifth bullpen spot will likely be claimed by whoever loses out on the rotation competition among Zach Eflin, Vince Velasquez, and Nick Pivetta.

And then there are seven others on the 40-man roster — Victor Arano, Austin Davis, Enyel De Los Santos, Edgar Garcia, J.D. Hammer, Cole Irvin, and Ranger Suarez — who will be vying for jobs after spending time in last season’s bullpen. The bullpen competition at spring training, which will open on Feb. 12, will be busy as the Phillies go against their recent history to find relief.

They spent $57 million before the 2018 and 2019 seasons to sign Pat Neshek, Tommy Hunter, and David Robertson. But the three combined last season for just 30 innings. Hunter and Neshek are free agents, and Robertson is expected to miss the 2020 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery.

The Phillies, now pressing against the luxury tax, altered their approach this winter and are trying to finish building their bullpen with low-cost veterans and young arms from the minor leagues.