The Phillies went into the trade deadline looking for help in a few spots, and the bullpen was near the top of the list. They made two additions for the relief mix, bringing in right-hander Caleb Kilian from the San Francisco Giants and adding left-hander Brooks Raley from the New York Mets, along with second baseman Luis Arraez.
Kilian’s arrival hasn’t turned into an immediate boost. After working four times in six days, he landed on the injured list with an oblique injury, which likely keeps him out for the foreseeable future. That opened the door for top prospect Alex McFarlane to get a shot at the Major League level.
Raley, though, has started to look like the kind of deadline pickup Philadelphia wanted. His first outing in a Phillies uniform was a rough one, as he allowed two runs against the Washington Nationals and gave up a home run to Brady House. That was the first homer he had surrendered since June 1, a stretch of more than two months.
Since then, the veteran left-hander has steadied everything. In four appearances after that debut, he hasn’t allowed an earned run. Over that span, he’s given up just one hit, issued one walk and struck out five.
The turnaround appears to be tied to a pitch-mix tweak from the Phillies’ coaching staff, as shared by Joseph Cammisa on X. Raley is leaning hard on his sweeper against left-handed hitters, taking a similar path to what Jesus Luzardo has been doing successfully in the rotation. The goal is simple: generate soft contact, even if the strikeouts don’t pile up right away.
That sweeper has become the centerpiece of his approach, accounting for 53.3% of his pitches.
Not much to praise right now, but Brooks Raley looks settled in...with some changes?That's three straight scoreless appearances, facing the minimum -- & it looks like he's taken a "Luzardo" approach: spam the sweeper vs LH, mix the changeup more vs RH. Sweeper usage has… pic.twitter.com/mnOKsOCMjr
Against right-handed hitters, Raley has shifted more heavily toward his changeup. Usage on that pitch has jumped 10.7% to 28.6%, and the results have been loud in a good way: a 50% whiff rate.
The sample is still small, but it’s enough to note. Raley was already pitching well with the Mets, and Philadelphia may have found a way to keep him a step ahead of opposing scouting reports.
He’s never been the kind of reliever who overwhelms hitters with velocity. His game has always been about getting the most out of what he has, and right now that formula is working.
If this keeps up, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Raley climb to the top of the left-handed relief pecking order for interim manager Don Mattingly, if he isn’t already there.
In Other News...
Phillies Add Pitching Insurance With Familiar Organizational Move
The Phillies added a bit of pitching depth by bringing in Casey Lawrence on a minor league contract, a familiar kind of move for a team that likes to keep experienced arms close at hand. Lawrence will report to Triple-A Lehigh Valley, giving Philadelphia another option in the upper minors as it continues to manage the wear and tear that comes with a long season.
Lawrence, 38, comes over after recently opting out of a minor league deal with the Mariners. A journeyman right-hander with major league experience, he has spent much of this season pitching in the minors and has also built a track record in Triple-A and overseas, the sort of resume that makes him a practical organizational fit even if the path back to the big leagues is never guaranteed. [Read more 🡒]
Phillies Fans Are Feeling The Risk In Dave Dombrowskis Arraez Gamble
The Phillies went into the August 3 deadline looking for offense, and Dave Dombrowski chose a path that reflected how thin the market really was. Rather than land the right-handed hitting outfielder many fans expected, Philadelphia dealt for infielder Luis Arraez, banking on his bat to help a lineup that needed a boost as the club stayed in the thick of the wild-card race.
Since the trade, Arraez has fit into the roster puzzle while the Phillies have shuffled defensively to make the move work. He has not exactly ignited the offense yet, though, and that is where the unease around the deal comes from: a team trying to win now made a bet on a player whose early return has been uneven, leaving the bigger question of whether the gamble will pay off when the games get tighter. [Read more 🡒]
Phillies Still Have One Problem Threatening Their Playoff Push
The Phillies have done enough this season to stay in the playoff mix, but the path has been bumpy because the offense never seems to settle in for long. Even with strong stretches from Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper and Luis Arraez, there have been too many nights when the lineup has gone quiet, and the clubs run production has been inconsistent enough to keep every series feeling like a test.
Since the trade deadline, the bats have been a little better, which has helped stabilize things as the National League race tightens up. Still, the bigger concern is that the improvement has not fully reached the full everyday lineup, leaving Philadelphia with one lingering issue that could matter a lot if the offense has to carry more weight in September. [Read more 🡒]