Evan Phillips Landing Spots: 3 ideal destinations for righty pitcher after non-tendered by Dodgers

Evan Phillips is a free agent after the Dodgers declined to tender him a contract, a decision tied more to timing than production. Phillips is coming off Tommy John surgery and isn’t expected to return until midseason, making an arbitration salary hard to carry on a crowded 40-man roster.

Before the injury, Phillips was a key piece of the Dodgers’ bullpen. He worked late innings, missed bats with his sinker-slider mix and was regularly trusted in close games. That resume still matters, even with the rehab timeline.

When healthy, Phillips throws strikes and keeps the ball in the park. Clubs know what he is when he’s available. Any deal is likely to be short- to mid-term, with incentives tied to availability.

For teams, the appeal is a late-season bullpen upgrade without a long commitment. That narrows the field to teams that can afford to wait and absorb the risk.

#1. New York Yankees

The Yankees have a history of adding veteran relievers without assigning them a fixed role. Evan Phillips would fall into that group.

New York has leaned hard on a small set of bullpen arms and needs coverage in the seventh and eighth innings when matchups shift.

When Phillips is locating his cutter, he can handle those spots. He has pitched in tight games and won’t be overwhelmed by the pressure of the setting. He wouldn’t be pushed into the ninth, and the workload would be controlled once he’s activated.

#2. Arizona Diamondbacks

Arizona’s bullpen went through long uneven stretches last season. The problem wasn’t stuff, it was availability and consistency.

Evan Phillips would give them another late-inning option without forcing a reshuffle at the back end. The Diamondbacks have shown a willingness to take short-term bullpen swings and sort out roles as the season goes on.

Phillips could factor into the seventh or eighth once he’s ready. His pitch mix plays fine at Chase Field and the usage wouldn’t need to be aggressive early.

#3. Toronto Blue Jays

Toronto lines up well with Evan Phillips’ rehab timeline. The Blue Jays have leaned on their bullpen heavily in recent seasons and have tried to spread late-inning work to avoid wearing down early.

Phillips wouldn’t factor into the picture until the second half. If he comes back close to form, he gives them another right-handed option for tight games down the stretch.

Any deal would be structured around his rehab timeline, adding depth later in the year without stressing the bullpen now.

Edited by nagpaltusharn25