During the holiday week, the Philadelphia Phillies quietly went bargain hunting, adding bullpen depth by signing hard-throwing left-hander Génesis Cabrera to a minor league deal. The move gives the organization another arm to evaluate as it looks to strengthen its relief corps.
For Phillies fans, Cabrera’s name may sound familiar—and not just because of his pitching. He’s the same pitcher who was involved in a frightening incident with Bryce Harper several years ago.
Cabrera once struck Bryce Harper in the face
The incident dates back to April 29, 2021, when a pitch from Cabrera got away from him and struck Harper in the face. While the moment was alarming, Harper avoided serious injury and missed only three games.
Now, with any hard feelings presumably long gone, Cabrera joins a Phillies organization hoping he can revive his career.
The 29-year-old is coming off a rough 2025 season in which he bounced between four teams—the New York Mets, Minnesota Twins, Chicago Cubs, and Pittsburgh Pirates. Persistent command issues plagued him throughout the year, resulting in a 6.54 ERA and 1.50 WHIP. Across 42 2/3 innings in 40 appearances, he allowed 31 earned runs, including 12 home runs, while striking out 35 and issuing 18 walks.
Cabrera has shown promise in the past, however. His strongest season came as a rookie with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2020, when he posted a 2.42 ERA with 32 strikeouts in just over 22 innings and helped the team reach the postseason. He also enjoyed a resurgence with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2023, recording a 2.66 ERA and 0.97 WHIP in 29 relief appearances after being acquired from St. Louis. That performance played a key role in stabilizing Toronto’s bullpen during another playoff run.
Philadelphia is clearly hoping Cabrera can rediscover that earlier success. With veteran left-hander Matt Strahm recently departing in a trade with the Kansas City Royals, Cabrera could serve as valuable left-handed depth in the bullpen heading into the 2026 season.
If things break right, Cabrera’s on-field contributions may ultimately outweigh the memory of his past encounter with Harper—turning an awkward chapter into a forgotten footnote.