2025 Philadelphia Phillies Outlook: Bullpen

As we near the finish line of another long baseball offseason, the Philadelphia Phillies are primed to be in contention for the World Series. They have it all, the stars, the personalities, the swagger. You look at the Phillies and say, “This team is no doubt one of the best.”

However, one thing that constantly tends to be a huge question mark before the season is the bullpen. Now, the Phillies’ bullpen is nowhere near the bottom of the barrel when it comes to the rest of the majors, I’d honestly put them somewhere near the top five to six in all of baseball.

Unfortunately for the Phillies, it’s no doubt the weakest part of their team and a key reason why last year’s team was unable to get out of the first round. There is upside, as key players have returned, no faces have taken over spots, and young potential pitchers are ready to take a huge step for this ballclub in 2025.

The group is made up of three lefties and five righties, with three pitchers being new to the team this season. The Phillies lost multiple bullpen arms to free agency, including deadline acquisition Carlos Estévez and top reliever Jeff Hoffman.

The bullpen is now led by southpaw speedster José Alvarado. Alvarado is in year five in Philly since being acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays for next to nothing. It’s been an up-and-down experience for Alvarado in a Phillies uniform, with highs being very high, but the lows being some of the lowest.

When his pitches are on, Alvarado is no doubt one of the best relievers in baseball. His sinker tops out at 102 mph, and when he’s not throwing heat, he’ll fire a nasty curveball at your feet. This spring, Alvarado looked unstoppable, quite possibly the best he’s ever looked as a Phillie, but we’ve also seen him at his worst.

He can get wild, and if he starts to walk batters, his day will be over quickly. We’ll see what kind of Alvarado we get when the season kicks off, but if it’s the one we’ve seen this spring, we’re in for a treat.

We then move to another lefty who had in Matt Strahm. Strahm has had a career resurgence since signing with the Phillies in 2023, going from a maybe starter to a top bullpen arm. In 2024, Strahm made his first All-Star team and finished with a 1.87 ERA.

Strahm thankfully missed going on the injured list multiple times this spring, once from a shoulder injury and another from hurting his nail while packing his daughter’s toys away. Making sure he stays healthy in 2025 is key because after him and Alvarado, the lefties get slim.

The Phillies did go out and spend money to help improve the bullpen, and one of the key moves was getting Jordan Romano. Romano is a six-year veteran, spending his whole career with the Toronto Blue Jays. There, he was primarily the closer, however, Rob Thomson hasn’t confirmed whether or not he’ll close games for the Phillies.

Romano struggled in 2024 after back-to-back All-Star seasons. The Phillies are hoping to fix his issues and get back to his All-Star ways in 2025. He’ll no doubt be the top right-hander called out of the bullpen for this team.

Back once again for the Phillies is right-hander Orion Kerkering. Kerkering is going into his third year in the Phillies’ bullpen after quickly making his way through the minor league system. This is a big year for Kerkering as he’s being asked to fill big shoes with Estévez and Hoffman leaving. His continued improvements and success will go a long way, as getting as many quality bullpen arms is a key to success.

Another right-hander that’s back for the Phillies is José Ruiz. Ruiz was an outstanding find by the Phillies. They signed him to a minor league deal back in 2023, and after reworking himself down in the minor leagues, he has turned himself into an above-average bullpen arm. Like Kerkering, Ruiz is going to be asked to take a step forward in 2025.

The final man returning to the bullpen in 2025 is the third and final lefty, Tanner Banks. Banks was acquired at the trade deadline last season from the Chicago White Sox and had an okay second half of the year with Philly. Banks is seen as someone whom the Phillies and pitching coach Caleb Cotham could improve, and that’s what his goal will be this season.

Joining the Phillies through free agency is right-hander Joe Ross. Ross has primarily spent time as a starter in his career, but after having Tommy John surgery back in 2022 and struggling with the Milwaukee Brewers last season, he now moves to the bullpen. He could be an option to move back into a starter role if injuries occur, however, he’ll likely fill in as the Phillies’ long man for 2025.

The final man in the Phillies bullpen for 2025 is Carlos Hernández. Hernández just recently joined the Phillies, being claimed off waivers just four days before Opening Day. The right-hander was previously with the Kansas City Royals for five seasons and struggled with consistency during his tenure there. The Phillies will attempt to improve him while also asking him to provide work with the team.

Time will tell how good or bad this bullpen is. A possible deadline acquisition could be in play down the road, but for now, the Phillies’ bullpen looks like it’s ready for a prominent season.

All in all, we all miss the bullpen cart, which is, of course, the featured image at the top of this article.

---

Use code PHILLYSPORTSREPORT for $20 off your first SeatGeek order

Click here to save 10% on any order at FOCO