Phillies Recall Rafael Marchan and Grant Holman from Lehigh Valley as Rosters Expand to 28
Yong Kim/The Philadelphia Inquirer
The calendars have flipped to September, making it the time of year where players’ arms become sore, legs start to cramp, and fatigue sets in. As the 2026 regular season comes to a close, teams like the Phillies are preparing for what should be a deep run in the playoffs, so reinforcements are being brought in around the league, as teams’ active rosters expand from 26 to 28 players as of September 1.
As expected, the Phillies are reinstating catcher Rafael Marchan from the injured list, who was shelved on July 24 due to tendinitis in his left knee.
Even before the injury, there was no denying that it had been a tough season for Marchan. In 32 games, the Phils’ backup catcher had just a .102 average with two home runs, six RBI, and a .311 OPS. His opportunities were certainly limited, but he did very little to take advantage of the few chances he had. When Garrett Stubbs was recalled from triple-A on April 22, the Phillies eventually shifted to having three catchers on their roster, a strategy they plan to stick with at least until the end of the regular season.
The Phillies’ second addition will be right-handed reliever Grant Holman, who the Phillies acquired off waivers from the Detroit Tigers on May 7. In 20 appearances with the IronPigs, Holman has a 3.12 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP, striking out 25 batters in 26 innings of work. Previously, Holman posted a 4.66 ERA in two seasons with the Athletics.
For the next month, Holman will add some depth to the front of the Phillies’ bullpen, as he has thrown more than one inning in six outings this season for Lehigh Valley.
With how the Phillies’ 2026 season has gone, things may look a little different for the bench players as September continues. The last few seasons, the Phillies have had a commanding lead of their playoff seed, but this season, they are neck and neck with the Cubs and Braves for the top spot in the NL Wild Card and NL East, respectively.
For better or worse, this means that the bench may see a reduced role, even in the later games in September, unless the Phillies continue on a miraculous winning streak that propels them to the top of the standings. And with a September schedule that features some of the league’s top teams, the Phillies will undoubtedly need their starters to fight for wins.
Colin Daly
Colin is an editor and the lead Phillies writer for Philly Sports Reports. He has been covering sports since 2020 and has been with PSR since the summer of 2021. As a lifelong Philly fan, he has a strong passion for the core four and does not miss a game. Colin is a co-host of the Bell Ringers podcast.
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