Dodgers bring back rehabbing reliever Phillips for '26
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LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers re-signed righty reliever Evan Phillips to a one-year, $6.5 million contract on Wednesday. Catcher Ben Rortvedt, who had recently been claimed off waivers from the Reds, was designated for assignment to clear a spot on the 40-man roster.
Phillips, 31, was non-tendered by the Dodgers in November. He had been one of the team's most trusted leverage arms over the past several seasons, but he underwent Tommy John surgery in June 2025 and will likely not be available until around the second half of '26. As of the beginning of the offseason, Phillips' rehab was progressing on schedule, and he had started a throwing program.
The Dodgers made clear that they had interest in re-signing Phillips from the time they non-tendered him. He posted a 2.22 ERA with 45 saves in 201 appearances from 2021-25 with L.A., although he was limited to only seven appearances last season due to a right rotator cuff strain and inflammation in his right elbow that necessitated surgery.
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Phillips’ career was transformed after he joined the Dodgers via waivers during the 2021 season, six years after being selected in the 17th round of the ’15 MLB Draft by the Braves out of the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and three years after making his big league debut.
This offseason, the Dodgers fortified their bullpen with the addition of closer Edwin Díaz on a three-year, $69 million deal. They are also expecting Tanner Scott to bounce back in his second year in Dodger blue. With Phillips as an in-season reinforcement, the 'pen could get stronger as the year goes on as L.A. bids for a three-peat.
Rortvedt, 28, was claimed from the Reds last Friday. He spent the second half of 2025 in the Dodgers' organization, becoming the primary catcher in September when both Will Smith and Dalton Rushing went down with injuries. Given that he is out of Minor League options, Rortvedt was unlikely to remain on the 40-man roster for long, but the Dodgers may be able to keep him in the organization as catching depth if he passes through waivers without being claimed by another team.