Phillies’ Final Bullpen Spots Come Down to Performance, Options and Roster Rules. DD

With just two weeks remaining in spring training, the Philadelphia Phillies are narrowing down a crowded bullpen competition.

Lou Trivino is one of several veteran relievers in Phillies camp on a minor-league deal. | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

The team entered camp with 12 relievers competing for two remaining spots, creating one of the most intense roster battles in the organization. While several bullpen roles are already locked in, the final decisions will likely come down to performance, roster flexibility and contract situations.

Bullpen core already established

Assuming everyone stays healthy, six bullpen spots appear secure:

• Jhoan Duran
• Brad Keller
• Orion Kerkering
• José Alvarado
• Tanner Banks
• Jonathan Bowlan

That leaves only two openings among a group of 12 pitchers trying to prove they belong on the Opening Day roster.

The candidates include:

Left-handers

• Kyle Backhus
• Genesis Cabrera
• Tim Mayza
• Andrew Walling

Right-handers

• Zach Pop
• Zach McCambley
• Max Lazar
• Seth Johnson
• Nolan Hoffman
• Chase Shugart
• Lou Trivino
• Trevor Richards

Backhus emerging as strong favorite

Among the competitors, Kyle Backhus appears to have the clearest path to one of the available roster spots.

The left-hander has been one of the most effective pitchers in Grapefruit League play, and his low sidearm delivery provides a unique look for opposing hitters. If he makes the team, he would likely serve as the third left-handed reliever in the bullpen.

Backhus made his fourth scoreless appearance of the spring in Fort Myers against the Minnesota Twins. In that outing, he:

• Induced a groundout from Victor Caratini
• Walked Ryan Jeffers
• Struck out Kody Clemens and Brooks Lee

Interestingly, three of the four hitters he faced were right-handed, highlighting an area he worked on improving this offseason.

Last year, Backhus dominated left-handed hitters, holding them to a .139 batting average, but right-handed batters hit .365 against him. With MLB’s three-batter minimum rule, improving against righties became a major focus.

Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto recently explained the adjustments:

“He dominated lefties pretty good last year but righties gave him more trouble, so he’s been working on that side of the plate… His angle is really tough.”

Backhus has also experimented with throwing his fastball inside to right-handed hitters and developing a changeup to keep them off balance.

The second bullpen spot remains wide open

While Backhus appears close to securing one role, the final bullpen spot is far less clear.

Several factors will likely influence the decision, including roster flexibility and contract clauses.

Zach Pop’s roster situation

Zach Pop has one major advantage: he is out of minor league options.

This means the Phillies cannot send him to the minors without first exposing him to waivers. Because of that restriction, Pop may receive stronger consideration than some other candidates.

However, veterans signed to minor league deals — including Lou Trivino and Tim Mayza — could have opt-out clauses that allow them to leave if they aren’t added to the roster.

Rule 5 pick adds another wrinkle

Another complicated case involves Zach McCambley, the Phillies’ Rule 5 Draft selection.

If McCambley does not make the Opening Day roster, the Phillies must:

1. Place him on waivers
2. If he clears, offer him back to the Miami Marlins for $50,000

McCambley has allowed one run across five innings this spring. Walks have been an issue — five in total — but his last two appearances were cleaner and more efficient.

The right-hander knows how close he is to reaching the majors.

“I know it’s right there, I’ve just got to go take it,” McCambley said earlier this spring.

Other pitchers making strong cases

Several other relievers remain firmly in the mix.

Chase Shugart has been particularly impressive, tossing 4⅓ scoreless innings this spring. The Phillies acquired him from the Pirates in January, and he brings big-league experience after posting a 3.40 ERA in 35 appearances last season.

Max Lazar could also be a strong candidate. His cutter and curveball combination allows him to retire hitters from both sides of the plate, and he has already appeared in 47 games for Philadelphia over the last two seasons.

Others have had more uneven springs:

• Lou Trivino and Tim Mayza have allowed a combined .342 opponent batting average
• Trevor Richards has issued four walks in 4⅔ innings
• Seth Johnson and Nolan Hoffman have been used heavily but struggled with consistency

Johnson continues working on improving his control, while Hoffman has surrendered 10 hits and two home runs despite striking out nine hitters.

Decision time approaching

Manager Rob Thomson has suggested the team may not prioritize a traditional long reliever early in the season, especially in April when starters typically work deeper into games.

That leaves the Phillies with several strategic options for the final bullpen spot — whether they value flexibility, experience or raw performance.

With just two weeks left before Opening Day, the competition remains wide open.

But one thing is certain: the Phillies’ bullpen decisions will be among the most closely watched roster calls of the final days of spring training.