Evan Phillips didn’t have to look far to find a landing spot that felt right.
The Braves’ new bullpen addition said Friday that Atlanta checked a lot of boxes for him, both professionally and personally, after the club became the first to make a major offseason splash by bringing him aboard. Phillips is not only returning to the organization that drafted him in the 2015 MLB Draft, he’s also heading to a city he already calls home.
He said during his media availability that he lives in Atlanta during the offseason, and once it became clear the Braves were in play, he and his wife were all in on the idea.
“The Braves were right there at the top of our list alongside a couple of others,” stated Phillips when he was asked by Mark Bowman of MLB.com about where he was hoping to land during this offseason. “It went the way that it did and we couldn’t be more excited.”
For Phillips, this winter carries a different feel than last year’s. He described it as his first “real crack at” free agency after injuries complicated his previous offseason, and that makes the simple act of settling in and working without rehab on the calendar especially meaningful.
“This’ll be my first offseason not having to focus on a rehab in two years,” explained Phillips. “I had the [shoulder injury] at the end of ‘24 that kept me out of the World Series…then the Tommy John rehab was a bit more intensive.”
“[It’s good to] just to be able to get home and get back with my routine for the offseason and immerse myself with the guys here in Atlanta and see what they might have for me.”
That comfort matters. Phillips doesn’t have to uproot his life or reset his entire routine, and that kind of stability can matter just as much as any mechanical tweak or bullpen session.
There’s also the practical reality of the calendar. The looming December 1 deadline could shorten how much time Phillips gets with the Braves’ coaching staff before the winter really settles in, and he acknowledged that the approaching labor situation could speed up some of those conversations.
“I know we’re pushing up against the deadline on December 1 so that might accelerate some of those conversations that we won’t be able to have through the rest of the winter,” admitted Phillips. “[Still,] I’m just looking forward to it. I’m so ready to get with this group and get to work and see what they might have for me.”
That gives Braves pitching coach Jeremy Hefner and bullpen coach J.P. Martinez a chance to start shaping the relationship early, even if the offseason doesn’t allow for a full runway. Phillips, meanwhile, sounds ready to keep building on what he’s already found.
He pointed to the results that came after Tommy John surgery, including career-best velocity at age 32, and said he’s eager to keep that momentum going.
“New velocity highs for me in my career at 32, I never would’ve thought,” stated Phillips when he was asked by Bowman about his results after Tommy John surgery. “It’s not something I was chasing.
I’m fortunate it’s gone that way because it opens up what I’m able to do even more. I’m just really excited to maintain some of those things that I’ve learned and see if we can bridge that across the next few years.”
Now he gets to try to do that in Atlanta, where the fit feels unusually clean. Phillips is back where his pro journey started, back in the city he lives in, and back in a place where the Braves believe he can be part of the bullpen picture for years to come.
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For Atlanta, the appeal is obvious enough at the margins: a backup option who can cover multiple spots and help fill out a roster when injuries or matchups start to pile up. The question is whether Freeman can turn those scattered flashes into something more dependable, especially with the defensive challenges that have followed him and the lack of strong performance metrics to point to so far. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Bullpen Plan May Not Be Over After Evan Phillips Deal
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Braves Shortstop Buzz Comes With More Risk Than Fans Realize
The Braves have already made one notable bullpen addition this offseason in right-hander Evan Phillips, but the bigger roster question still hanging over them is shortstop. That uncertainty has kept Atlanta tied to trade chatter, and the name that keeps surfacing is Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson, a player who would instantly change the conversation if he were to become available.
Hendersons appeal is obvious because he could give the Braves a temporary answer at a premium position, but the fit comes with real risk. His recent offensive dip has raised questions about how much of the decline is tied to injuries, and his arbitration eligibility only adds another layer of cost and control concerns for Atlanta if the front office decides to pursue a deal. [Read more 🡒]