The Los Angeles Dodgers are bringing back right-handed reliever Evan Phillips on a one-year, $6.5 million contract, the team announced Wednesday, betting on the upside of one of baseball’s most effective late-inning arms as he works his way back from Tommy John surgery.
Phillips, who was non-tendered in November while rehabbing, underwent surgery last May and is expected to miss at least the start of the 2026 season. He has only recently begun light throwing and is projected to return around July. The $6.5 million salary exceeds the $6.1 million he was projected to earn in arbitration prior to being non-tendered, signaling the Dodgers’ confidence in his recovery and long-term value.
The 31-year-old appeared in just seven games early in the 2025 season, logging 5⅔ innings and earning one save. After starting the year on the injured list with a rotator cuff strain, Phillips returned to post seven scoreless outings before landing back on the IL on May 7 due to forearm discomfort. Those issues ultimately led to surgery and kept him off the Dodgers’ World Series roster later that year.
Phillips’ rise with Los Angeles has been one of the organization’s best pitching success stories. After being released by the Baltimore Orioles and briefly designated for assignment by the Tampa Bay Rays in 2021, the Dodgers claimed him and unlocked his potential. With the help of assistant pitching coach Connor McGuiness, Phillips’ slider was refined into an elite sweeper, while the addition of a cutter and two-seam fastball helped neutralize left-handed hitters.
From 2022 to 2024, Phillips emerged as one of baseball’s most dominant relievers, posting a 2.21 ERA and 0.92 WHIP across 179 regular-season innings. Over that span, he converted 44 saves and struck out 206 batters, holding right-handed hitters to a .152 batting average one of the best marks among relievers facing at least 200 righties.
Phillips has also thrived in October, compiling a spotless 0.00 ERA in 12 postseason appearances with 21 strikeouts. While arm issues limited his availability late in 2024, the Dodgers are hopeful that a healthy Phillips can once again anchor the back end of their bullpen as he returns to full strength.
