When the Phillies bullpen gets praise, Jhoan Duran usually grabs the spotlight - and for obvious reasons. The All-Star closer has been outrageous, pairing a 1.43 ERA with a 40.7% strikeout rate and looking every bit like one of the most dominant finishers in baseball.
But the arm that may end up making the Phillies’ offseason look even smarter is Jonathan Bowlan.
Bowlan is now the second-most valuable Phillies reliever by fWAR at 0.8, and that’s a stunning turn for a pitcher who arrived in an unpopular offseason deal with the Royals. Philadelphia sent fan favorite Matt Strahm to Kansas City to open up payroll, and Bowlan came back as the return.
At the time, he was a former second-round pick with very little major league production to point to. Now, at the end of the first half, he’s become a legitimate high-leverage weapon for Don Mattingly.
The numbers tell the story fast. Bowlan’s Baseball Savant page is loaded with red, and he sits in the 90th percentile or better in expected ERA, expected batting average against, whiff rate, strikeout rate, walk rate, and barrel rate. He’s not just surviving in the bullpen; he’s excelling across the board.
What makes it even more interesting is how he’s done it. Bowlan entered the season with some expectations, but almost nobody saw this version coming: fewer sinkers, more four-seamers, and a heater that has turned into one of the most valuable pitches in baseball. Opponents have managed just a .146 batting average against it, and it’s producing a 41.1% whiff rate.
There’s also a long-term payoff here. Because Bowlan spent so little time in Kansas City before the trade, the Phillies have him under team control for a long stretch.
He’ll be on a pre-arbitration salary until 2029, and he won’t be eligible for free agency until after the 2031 season. That matters, especially with Duran potentially headed for free agency after next year.
Meanwhile, the other side of the deal has gone the wrong way. Strahm has struggled badly with the Royals after three straight strong seasons in Philadelphia, posting a 5.40 ERA and -0.9 fWAR.
So yes, the Phillies moved on from a declining reliever at exactly the right moment and landed a pitcher on the rise. That’s the kind of front-office move that can quietly reshape a bullpen - and help explain why Philadelphia keeps getting results even when Duran isn’t the one on the mound.
In Other News...
Garrett Stubbs Just Sent A Blunt Warning About MLB Talks
With the current collective bargaining agreement set to expire on Dec. 1, baseball is once again staring at the kind of labor tension that can quickly spill from the negotiating table into the season itself. The biggest flashpoints are familiar ones: MLBs push for a salary cap and its proposed changes to amateur draft eligibility, both of which have drawn sharp resistance from the players side as the sides head toward a potential lockout.
Garrett Stubbs has become one of the more visible Phillies voices in that fight, and the backup catcher and union representative did not soften his message when discussing the leagues posture. His criticism lands in a sport that still remembers the last work stoppage in 1994, when a season was wiped out and the damage lingered for years, which is why even the early stages of this dispute already carry real weight for players and fans alike. [Read more 🡒]
Phillies Add Another Outfield Bat To Growing Trade Debate
The Phillies are expected to be active buyers before the MLB trade deadline, and the search for a right-handed hitting outfielder has already started to widen. One name that has surfaced is Arizonas Lourdes Gurriel Jr., a player who would fit the clubs need for more balance in the lineup and could come at a lower acquisition cost than some of the pricier bats on the market.
Gurriels appeal is tied to the idea that he can help against left-handed pitching, even as his overall season has been uneven. His contract situation also makes him a more interesting trade candidate than a pure rental, which gives Philadelphia another layer to weigh as it sorts through outfield options and decides how aggressive it wants to be in the days ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Phillies Draft Took A Surprising Turn And One Pick Changed Everything
The Phillies Day 1 draft haul took a few turns that were easy to miss in the moment, but they matter when you zoom out. Philadelphia opened with a high-upside prep bat, then followed with a massive left-handed power hitter and later added a pitcher with a starters look, giving the front office a mix of risk and upside that fits the way this organization has been willing to draft.
What makes the class interesting is how quickly the conversation shifted from the first pick to the rest of the board. There was a clear favorite for the opening selection in some eyes, but the Phillies went another way, and the later picks helped soften that surprise by adding a potential middle-of-the-order bat and a mound arm who could climb if the stuff holds. The real question now is whether the groups ceiling is tied to one early swing, or whether the depth of the class ends up being the more important story. [Read more 🡒]