The Phillies got a welcome bit of good news on Wednesday as they continue pushing for a postseason berth and trying to close the gap in the NL East.
Philadelphia has chipped away enough to sit 5.5 games behind the Atlanta Braves after a recent win over the Miami Marlins, and the timing of this latest update matters. The club has spent much of the year dealing with injuries, with the pitching staff taking some of the hardest hits, so any step forward is a boost.
Left-hander Tanner Banks, sidelined since early July with a left forearm strain, is moving in the right direction. MLB.com reported that Banks “Threw live batting practice on Aug. 18 without any issues. Will throw at least one more live BP before potentially progressing to a rehab assignment.”
MLB.com also pegged his expected return for sometime in mid to late September.
That’s a significant development for a Phillies bullpen that has leaned on Banks as an important piece. Before the injury, he was putting together a solid 2026 season, and Philadelphia will be hoping the ramp-up keeps going smoothly over the next few weeks.
There’s also some encouragement coming from the lineup. The Phillies’ offense has started to show more life over the past several games, and the team will want that trend to carry into October.
Philadelphia’s path forward could very well run through the Wild Card race. In the current era, the Phillies have had more of their playoff success as a Wild Card team than as division winners, which makes that route look especially relevant again.
The Phillies play their series finale against the Marlins on Wednesday night, then return home for a weekend set against the St. Louis Cardinals.
In Other News...
Phillies Make A Rotation Move That Could Matter In Wild-Card Race
The Phillies have added a familiar kind of late-season insurance to their pitching staff, signing left-hander Nestor Cortes to a major-league contract for the rest of the year. With the National League wild-card picture tightening, every rotation move can echo beyond the box score, and this one gives Philadelphia another experienced arm as the club tries to hold its place in the race.
Cortes gives the Phillies depth at a time when that matters most, especially with the standings packed around them and a short stretch still left to sort out the postseason bracket. He arrives from a run with the Padres, where the broader wild-card chase has also stayed crowded, and the expectation is that he can be a useful piece down the stretch as Philadelphia looks to protect its edge. [Read more 🡒]
Phillies Make A 40-Man Move That Puts Brian Keller In Limbo
Brian Kellers quick rise from a minor league contract in May to a major league debut in July has already hit a roster squeeze, with the Phillies making a 40-man move that reflects how fast the bullpen and pitching depth can change this time of year. The right-hander is being designated for assignment, a transaction that puts him on waivers and creates an uncertain stretch for a pitcher who only recently got his first taste of the majors.
The move opens room for another arm, and Kellers immediate future now hinges on whether he gets through the waiver process. Philadelphia would like to keep him in the organization, but for now he is in limbo while the roster reshuffle plays out around him. [Read more 🡒]
Phillies Eye Late Pitching Insurance As Rotation Pressure Builds
The Phillies left the trade deadline without adding a starting pitcher, which only sharpened the spotlight on the rest of the rotation as the stretch run approaches. With the club still looking for a way to cushion that group, Philadelphia has reportedly been in conversations about a free-agent left-hander who brings both starting and relief experience, a profile that could give the staff some much-needed flexibility.
The appeal is obvious for a team trying to protect innings and keep options open, especially if the addition ends up being more of a hybrid role than a traditional rotation fix. There is still no official signing in place, though, and the pitcher in question is working back from arm surgery after a difficult 2025 season, so the Phillies are still waiting to see whether this depth move becomes real. [Read more 🡒]