The Los Angeles Dodgers free agent reliever Evan Phillips inked a three-year, $35 million deal with the Atlanta Braves, the team announced.
Evan Phillips’ new deal with the Braves
He will make $11 million in 2027 and 2028, then $13 million in 2029.
His new contract is notably more than the 1-year, $5 million deal that he inked with the Dodgers last offseason as he recovered from Tommy John surgery.
After a successful 2026, Phillips has proven himself through multiple major surgeries, and he’s now being rewarded for his play.
Phillips has a 2.36 ERA over his time with the Dodgers, racking up 221 innings of quality pitching. In his six years, Phillips has been valued at 4.6 bWAR.
Without a doubt, he has been a good reliever, someone who the team can lean on when he is healthy, but with Tommy John and shoulder surgery on his health record, which let him pitch just 31.2 innings over the last two years, it is a risky deal for the Braves.
How the Dodgers replace Evan Phillips
LA has several in-house options to promote. Edgardo Henriquez will now certainly be one of the more trusted relievers in 2027, as a hard-throwing righty.
With Phillips’s departure, Brock Stewart could get some additional run, and he should be tendered ahead of his final year of arbitration.
Will Klein, fresh off surgery, should assume some more work as well. He had a really good start to 2026 before his play dwindled as his elbow started to flare up.
Seth Halvorsen, another triple-digit fastball righty, is someone the Dodgers are high on and has an opening if he can deliver better than he did in his consistent 2026 time with the major-league squad.
Looking externally, veterans like Pete Fairbanks, Bryan Abreu, or Jonathan Loaisiga all make a good deal of sense.
They have good stuff and have a ton of experience, similar to what Phillips offered.
Jason Adam, one of the more reliable relievers over the past few years, could be an interesting addition on a one-year deal as well.
Free agency is still in its infancy, leaving the Dodgers with time and options.
