The Los Angeles Dodgers have completed the signing of reliever Evan Phillips, bringing him back after multiple reports of interest in retaining his services.
Phillips is signing a one-year deal worth $6.5 million, giving the Dodgers another quality relief arm following a season that was full of letdowns.
In a corresponding move, the Dodgers had to designate catcher Ben Rortvedt for assignment, clearing up a roster spot for the pitcher.
Phillips has been battling for a while, dating back to last year when he underwent surgery for a torn rotator cuff and forearm inflammation in June of 2025.
The injury led to Phillips standing on the sidelines for most of the past season after undergoing Tommy John surgery, a brutal procedure with one of the longest recoveries for a pitcher.
He pitched only 5.2 innings in seven appearances in 2025 at age 30, but before then, he threw 63 innings in 2022, 61.1 innings in 2023, and 54.2 innings in 2024, plus 15 innings of playoff baseball.
Why did the Dodgers bring back Evan Phillips?
The Dodgers found a gem in Phillips, who has become one of the more rock-solid closers in the sport since joining the organization.
Early in his baseball career, he struggled to put up a season with value in bWAR, with his best seasons coming as a Dodger in 2022 and 2023.
He has a 2.22 ERA with the Dodgers over the past five years, putting up 4.1 bWAR, a high total for a reliever.
Most notably, Phillips was money for the Dodgers in the 2024 postseason, pitching 6.2 innings and allowing no earned runs, helping them capture their first of two consecutive titles.
While the risk for another serious injury is high and he won’t be available until halfway through the season, the Dodgers are betting on their uncovered, undervalued player to deliver as they saw before anyone else in the league.
Los Angeles is an organization known for bringing back players who delivered for them in the past, barring a dramatic spike in cost or multiple concerning seasons, and Phillips will get 2026 to make sure his downturn is not a permanent one in terms of health.
2 Responses
Can we stop the Dodgers’ front office from doing any more crazy deals? DFA Banda when he is a better than average and vey lowly paid reliever? To make room for Rortvedt who is immediately DFA’d to make room for Evan Philips when if they waited a week Philips could have gone on the 60 day DL (or why not wait for Philips for a few months on a handshake? Please someone stop the front office from this crazy roster churning. Is Siani more important than Banda and Rortvedt? Who else might they lose due to this roster mismanagement? Please stop.
I don’t get it either. Wait on Philips and keep Rortvedt to backup Smith. Keep Rushing, too, to backup Freeman or LF or C is my take. The front office will need another open 40 man spot to resgin Kike.