The Phillies are back in the transaction column this week, though Monday’s move is more about depth than headlines. Philadelphia has signed right-hander Zach Pop to a contract for the 2026 season, adding another arm to the bullpen mix heading into spring training.
Pop, 29, is no stranger to the MLB carousel. Since being drafted by the Dodgers in the seventh round back in 2017, he’s logged innings for the Marlins, Blue Jays, Mariners, and most recently the Mets. If you're keeping track, that's four teams in the last few seasons - and that kind of movement usually tells you a story.
His 2025 campaign was a rollercoaster. He started the year in Toronto but was designated for assignment and hit free agency.
Seattle picked him up, but his stint there was short and rocky - 5 1/3 innings with a 13.50 ERA. He then landed with the Mets and made one appearance on July 6, allowing three runs on five hits in just 1 1/3 innings.
That outing led to another DFA, and after clearing waivers, he signed with the Cubs. Chicago kept him in Triple-A, where he posted a 5.59 ERA across 9 2/3 innings.
Not exactly a resume that screams late-inning leverage guy.
But it hasn’t all been rough. Pop broke into the majors with the Marlins in 2021 and showed flashes of potential.
That year, he posted a 4.12 ERA over 54 1/3 innings. His best stretch came in 2022, when he put up a 2.77 ERA in 39 innings split between Miami and Toronto.
That version of Pop - the one who could keep the ball on the ground and limit damage - is likely what the Phillies are hoping to rediscover.
On the mound, Pop leans heavily on a 96.4 mph sinker. It’s his bread-and-butter pitch, complemented by a mid-80s slider and a 93 mph cutter.
He’s not a strikeout machine, but he does a few things well that could earn him a longer look. For one, he keeps the walks in check - his 5.1% walk rate in 2025 was solid.
And his 54.5% ground ball rate? That’s a number teams like to see, especially in a hitter-friendly park like Citizens Bank Park.
Still, this is no guaranteed roster spot. Pop is out of minor league options, which means he’ll need to break camp with the big league club or risk hitting waivers again. That adds a layer of urgency to his spring training performance - and gives the Phillies a low-risk, potentially useful bullpen arm to evaluate.
In the big picture, this isn’t the kind of move that shifts the needle for a contending team. But in a long season, bullpen depth matters.
And if Pop can tap back into the form he showed in 2022, he could quietly become a valuable piece in Philadelphia’s relief corps. For now, it’s a wait-and-see signing - but one worth keeping an eye on as the Phillies continue to shape their roster for 2026.