The Phillies' bullpen is not good.
That's probably the most polite way to put it through 22 games this season.
Sporting a lackluster 5.81 ERA — the second worst of all 30 MLB teams — the Phils' relievers continue to undo the work of a potent offense, like they did Sunday afternoon when they blew a 4-1 lead in the eighth inning to Miami.
The Philadelphia relief corps has allowed the seventh most home runs (11), has the sixth worst WHIP (1.550) and has faced the 10th easiest schedule in the sport. There should be no excuses, and no one should be safe.
In the aforementioned loss to the Marlins, Orion Kerkering and Matt Strahm were the culprits, after previously being two of the three most reliable arms in the pen.
The Phillies were clearly spoiled last season, riding Strahm, Kerkering and departed relievers Jeff Hoffman and Carlos Estévez to 95 wins and one of the better pitching staffs in team history.
With the rival Mets and the contending Cubs next up, is there anyone you can trust right now? Here's a brief whip-around of the Phillies' current bullpen. We've rated each hurler on a 1-10 trustability scale.
José Alvarado — 7/10
Boasting five saves, a 2.53 ERA and the second fastest fastball in the majors (99.6 mph average via Baseball Savant), the Phillies' flame-throwing lefty has emerged as a clutch arm. He's rarely blemish free, allowing 13 baserunners in 10.2 innings, but he's gotten across the finish line more often than not, and right now, that's enough to be No. 1 on our trustworthy list.
Matt Strahm — 7/10
The second-best reliever for the Phillies right now is also a lefty. He's had nine stellar performances, one meaningless run relented in a 7-0 loss to the Cardinals, and then gave up the losing run Sunday in the 10th inning. His 1.74 ERA tells the story and fans can feel confident when he's out there.
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Orion Kerkering — 6/10
There aren't any right-handed arms more reliable than the 24-year-old Kerkering right now, and like Strahm he's had two bad nights mixed in with otherwise solid ones. He gave up the losing run in a setback in Atlanta a few weeks ago, and a three-run homer to Miami's Javier Sanoja in the eighth Sunday (that saw the game eventually go to extra innings).
Tanner Banks — 5/10
Banks has appeared in eight late-inning situations for the Phillies and has a 3.00 ERA to show for it. However, six of them came in losses, many of them with the team already behind. Banks is relatively reliable but if the Phillies start using him in real high-leverage spots with the club ahead, the bullpen situation is likely dire around him.
José Ruiz — 4/10
His 6.14 ERA isn't great, and he's been extremely inconsistent. That he's the fifth-best reliever on the team right now is troubling.
Joe Ross — 4/10
Ross was signed in free agency to be sort of a swingman, capable of pitching multiple innings or spot starting if necessary. He's allowed nine runs and 14 baserunners in 9.2 innings of work. Ross has a longer leash thanks to a solid veteran body of work behind him and should have a little more time to find his groove.
Carlos Hernández — 2/10
The Phillies' front office was hoping Hernández would prove to be a savvy waiver wire pickup back in March. They picked him for the 26-man roster over any of their in-house bullpen candidates. Instead, he's been the mop-up guy and hasn't made much of his six opportunities. In seven innings, he's allowed seven runs, 10 hits and six walks.
Jordan Romano — 1/10
The most disappointing Phillies reliever so far this year is Romano, who has a 15.26 ERA over nine games and has been slammed for 13 earned runs. A reclamation project, Romano was an All-Star closer a few years ago in Toronto but had a down year shortened by injuries in 2024. He hasn't looked like his old self at all this season and is fast becoming unusable in any situation of importance.
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