The Los Angeles Dodgers bullpen was the weakest unit of the team this past season, which was in part due to Evan Phillips virtually missing the entire year.
The Dodgers addressed their bullpen need in a big way this offseason with the addition of Edwin Díaz, but there is more work to be done to create a more cohesive unit.
Despite deciding to non-tender Phillips this offseason, the Dodgers remain interested in bringing him back into the fold.
According to Tim Tealey of The Boston Globe, Philips has two objectives in his negotiations in order to rebuild his value in 2026 coming off season-ending Tommy John surgery:
Phillips, non-tendered by the Dodgers, is delaying signing a new contract until January-ish (when he starts throwing off the mound) or even July-ish (when he is expected to return to game action). He is seeking a one-year contract so that he can re-establish himself as healthy and effective and take a bigger swing in free agency next offseason.
The Dodgers would be the best fit for Phillips in this scenario, as he already has familiarity with the training and coaching staffs to help him hit the ground running once he is back in action.
Being a setup man behind Edwin Díaz could be a negative, as closers typically have more room to negotiate for higher salaries. But it also has the benefit of allowing Phillips to re-establish himself with less-stressful outings.
Over parts of five seasons with the Dodgers, Phillips went 15-9 with 45 saves, a 2.22 ERA, 2.77 FIP and 0.94 WHIP in 201 games.
Red Sox interested in Evan Phillips
When the Dodgers decided to make Phillips a free agent rather than let him play out the final arbitration year that was projected to be around $6.1 million, they opened themselves up to competition for his services.
The Boston Red Sox are reportedly interested in the free-agent reliever as they look to build on an 89–73 record after falling one game short of the American League Division Series in 2025.
The Red Sox had an elite bullpen in 2025, with the second-best reliever ERA in the Majors. Adding Phillips on a one-year deal presents a low-risk, high-reward scenario.
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