The Phillies are headed for their fifth straight postseason, and the first round of trimming the roster is already underway. Orion Kerkering’s demotion to the minor leagues was the first major move, but he may not be the only familiar name on the outside when October arrives.
With the Wild Card round looming, Philadelphia has some uncomfortable choices to make. The bullpen has been a mess, the bench has a few weak spots, and the expanded September roster disappears when the playoffs begin. That means a few players who’ve been around all season could be squeezed out when the games start to matter most.
Brooks Raley is one of the most obvious candidates. The Phillies brought in the 38-year-old from the New York Mets to give them a needed left-handed option, but the move hasn’t worked out at all.
In 15 appearances with Philadelphia, Raley has put up an 8.71 ERA and allowed four home runs in just 10 ⅓ innings. He was supposed to help stabilize a bullpen that already had José Alvarado struggling, Tanner Banks and Kyle Backhus spending long stretches in Triple-A, and Tim Mayza emerging as the lone dependable southpaw.
Instead, Raley has been the least reliable of the group. The lack of left-handed depth might still keep him in the mix, but there’s a real chance the Phillies go another direction and prioritize a higher-upside arm.
Rafael Marchán is another player staring at a tough decision. Philadelphia has carried both reserve catchers behind J.T.
Realmuto during the expanded roster period, but that arrangement won’t last once the Wild Card round begins. Garrett Stubbs appears to have the edge for one of those jobs because of his role in Aaron Nola’s remarkable resurgence and his value as a pinch runner.
That leaves Marchán, whose bat has offered very little, in a precarious spot.
Then there’s Chase Shugart, who has done enough to be useful but probably not enough to be trusted in October’s tightest spots. The right-hander has been pressed into more action than expected because of the bullpen’s state of affairs, appearing in 44 games and logging a 4.03 ERA over 51 ⅓ innings.
That’s solid for a depth arm, but the Phillies may decide they need more flexibility on the bench than another uninspiring reliever. With the best-of-three Wild Card round requiring no more than three starters, they could lean on Andrew Painter in relief and leave Shugart off the roster.
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