According to Matt Gelb of The Athletic, the Phillies and veteran right-handed reliever Lou Trivino have reached an agreement on a minor league contract. For the Pro Edge Sports client, they will be the third organization of the season.
Trivino, who turned 34 in October, has played for the Giants and Dodgers in 2025. In his 38 1/3 major league innings pitched, he has a 4.42 ERA, a respectable 7% walk rate, and a well below-average 15.7% strikeout rate. Trivino hasn’t played in the major leagues since the 2022 season ended. In addition to having a significant shoulder ailment during the two years he was off the mound, he had Tommy John surgery in 2023.
Compared to the pre-injury version, this Trivino didn’t appear nearly as sharp. His fastball has sat at 94.7 mph so far, having averaged 97.3 mph at its peak and 95.6 mph in the three years prior to his operation. Trivino’s career-high HR/9 of 1.40 and his opponents’ swinging-strike and chase rates are both well below his peak.
Having said that, there is no danger in taking a chance on a pitcher with Trivino’s record in the minor leagues. From 2018 to 2022, he recorded 52 holds and 37 saves while working a 3.86 ERA with a 24.5% strikeout rate and a 10.6% walk rate. He made his Major League Baseball debut with 74 innings of 2.92 ERA play for the 2018 Athletics.
Trivino isn’t really going to be needed by Philadelphia. Following two spectacular deadline additions by president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski & Co.—signing free agent David Robertson and moving prospects Eduardo Tait and Mick Abel to entice star reliever Jhoan Duran away from the Twins—he provides depth. Trivino may eventually make it to the majors, but there are far fewer routes to the majors in Philadelphia than there may have been even two or three weeks ago because Duran, Orion Kerkering, Matt Strahm, and Tanner Banks are leading the way, Robertson will soon join, and lefty Jose Alvarado’s return is imminent later this month.