3 things that could make Phils’ bullpen better in ’26

A team with World Series aspirations needs a reliable bullpen, and the Phillies are no exception.

An incredible performance from Philadelphia’s starting rotation in 2025 often masked inconsistencies from the club’s relief unit, which finished 20th in MLB in both ERA (4.27) and FanGraphs Wins Above Replacement (2.9) after strong seasons in both 2023 and ’24. Phillies starters pitched by far the most innings and had the second-best ERA in the Majors, but the bullpen struggled throughout the year, including in the Phils’ early postseason exit.

Entering 2026, the spotlight on the club’s bullpen has only gotten bigger. Lefty starter Ranger Suárez departed for the Red Sox in free agency, ace Zack Wheeler is working his way back from thoracic outlet surgery and might not be at full strength, and key reliever Matt Strahm was traded to the Royals in December.

But things are looking up for the Phillies’ relief crew. FanGraphs projects the unit to be the third best in MLB in 2026, behind only the Padres and Dodgers. That talent and dependability would go a long way to help a star-studded team chasing its first championship since 2008.

Here are three reasons the Phillies’ bullpen should show improvement this season.

Full seasons from Duran and Alvarado

The Phillies are counting on a full year of contributions from their top two relievers -- something they didn’t have in 2025.

Left-hander José Alvarado was limited to 26 innings pitched last season after being suspended for 80 games on May 18 following a positive test for a performance-enhancing substance. Alvarado, one of Philadelphia’s top leverage relievers, returned in mid-August but was not eligible for the postseason because of the violation, a major blow to the Phils’ relief corps.

Closer Jhoan Duran, meanwhile, was lights out for the Phillies with a 2.18 ERA, but he wasn’t acquired from the Twins until July 30, a day before the Trade Deadline, and made just 26 appearances between the regular season and the postseason.

Injuries are always a risk -- Alvarado missed time in September with a forearm strain -- but if the pair can remain healthy, the Phillies can enjoy full seasons from their two most talented bullpen arms. Duran is projected for 2.1 fWAR, the second most of any reliever in the Majors (behind San Diego’s Mason Miller at 2.3) and more than 10 entire teams’ bullpens. Alvarado, meanwhile, is projected at 1.2 fWAR.

The Phillies also return righty Orion Kerkering and lefty Tanner Banks, who both posted ERAs under 3.50 in 2025 -- primarily in high-leverage roles.

Contributions from newcomers

The Phillies hope to capitalize on a breakout 2025 season from right-hander Brad Keller, whom they signed to a two-year, $22 million deal on Dec. 18.

Keller was excellent out of the bullpen for the Cubs last year, striking out 75 hitters in 69 2/3 innings with a 2.07 ERA. Opposing batters’ 30.6% hard-hit rate against him was the fourth-best mark among qualifying pitchers, and other Statcast metrics suggest the hard-throwing righty has found a recipe for sustained success.

The Phillies will also be depending on right-hander Jonathan Bowlan, who was acquired from Kansas City for Strahm a day after Keller’s deal became official. Bowlan had a 3.86 ERA in 44 1/3 innings for the Royals in 2025 after making just three combined appearances between 2023 and ’24. His sinker graded out as the best weapon in his five-pitch arsenal, according to Statcast.

With two spots left to fill in their Opening Day bullpen, the Phils will need other pitchers to step up, too. Trade acquisitions Chase Shugart and Kyle Backhus, veteran righty Zach Pop and Rule 5 Draft pick Zach McCambley are among the newcomers to the club who could contend for innings out of the bullpen.

More ground-ball specialists

The Phillies’ bullpen had a significant home run problem in 2025, but it’s an issue that should be mitigated in 2026.

Despite the lightest workload in the Major Leagues, Phillies relievers allowed 74 home runs, the 15th most in MLB. That’s 1.30 homers per nine innings, the fourth-worst rate of any bullpen in the Majors. The Philadelphia ’pen had the fourth-lowest ground-ball rate, too, making it unable to depend on rolling grounders for double plays or easy outs.

For a talented team with an annual expectation of contending in the National League, that’s a concern. Thankfully for the Phils, how their bullpen is constructed entering 2026 should go a long way toward turning those numbers around and keeping the ball in the yard.

Duran, the gem of the Phillies’ Trade Deadline haul in 2025, had the single highest ground-ball rate (65.4%) out of the 119 relievers with at least 150 batted balls. Keller, meanwhile, ranked 14th at 57.0%, while Bowlan (49.6%) and Alvarado (47.3%) did not qualify but were above the MLB average of 44.2%.

For comparison, Strahm was 119th with a 23.8% ground-ball rate, dead last among qualifiers. While he was only tagged for five home runs in 62 1/3 regular-season innings, he gave up the game-winning homer to the Dodgers’ Teoscar Hernández in the seventh inning of NLDS Game 1, a major blow in the four-game series.

With Duran, Keller and Alvarado leading the charge all year, the Phillies’ bullpen should be much better at keeping the ball on the ground in 2026. In the regular season and especially in the postseason, that could make a major difference.