If the Philadelphia Phillies don’t find a way to shore up their bullpen soon, their long-term success could be in serious jeopardy. While the team has had a solid start to the season—holding a 13-9 record and trailing by just two games in the National League East—the bullpen remains a glaring weakness. It’s a problem that could’ve been avoided had the front office taken action during the offseason.
Instead, the Phillies chose not to retain key right-handed relievers Carlos Estévez and Jeff Hoffman, both of whom were among their top bullpen arms. As a result, the bullpen has posted the second-worst ERA in Major League Baseball at 5.81 and has already surrendered 11 home runs—one of the highest totals in the league.
With options on the trade market uncertain, internal solutions may be the only short-term answer. According to Matt Gelb of The Athletic, Brett de Geus could be a candidate for a call-up. Claimed off waivers from the Marlins, de Geus has reportedly performed well at Triple-A, including a recent outing where he tossed two scoreless innings with a fastball averaging 96 mph. Still, his career MLB ERA sits at a concerning 7.48 over 61 1/3 innings.
Given his struggles, especially in 2024 where he has a 7.15 ERA in just over 11 innings, it’s difficult to imagine de Geus providing meaningful help right away. As Gelb notes, “Whoever the Phillies summon from the minors is not stepping into a high-leverage role. Thomson has to squeeze something from this group.” If the Phillies are serious about contending, a trade might be the only viable solution—and one they may need to make sooner rather than later.