During an up-and-down 2026 season for the Phillies’ bullpen, rookie Alex McFarlane was a clear bright spot.
The right-hander from the U.S. Virgin Islands, the club’s fourth-round Draft pick out of the University of Miami in 2022, made his MLB debut on July 22 and eventually stuck around on the big league roster. He quickly became a high-leverage reliever for Philadelphia and handled the job well, becoming one of manager Don Mattingly’s most trusted arms in front of closer Jhoan Duran.
With Orion Kerkering coming off a tough 2026, Brad Keller tearing his UCL and José Alvarado hitting free agency, the Phillies could really use a big year from McFarlane in '27. Can he cement himself as a long-term option on the back end for a club in need of relief help?
Here’s what we learned from McFarlane's debut season and what can be expected of him next year.
What happened in 2026?
Stat line: 19 IP, 2.84 ERA, 7 BB, 20 K
McFarlane debuted with a scoreless top of the ninth in a loss to the Dodgers at Citizens Bank Park but was optioned to the Minors just three days later. When he was recalled to the big leagues on Aug. 11, he stuck around for the rest of the regular season and was on the Phillies’ National League Wild Card Series roster. McFarlane was charged with an earned run in Game 1 of that series against the Braves but got a key out to end the seventh inning in Philadelphia’s Game 2 win.
McFarlane’s 25.3% strikeout rate in the Majors was fueled by a 31.7% chase rate and a 27.9% whiff rate, both of which were above average. When hitters did make contact, they didn’t often square it up: McFarlane allowed an impressive 87.4 mph exit velocity, although his barrel and hard-hit rates were below league average. His 48.1% ground-ball rate is certainly promising going forward.
In his small sample in the big leagues, McFarlane posted a 3.63 expected ERA, meaning that his actual results were better -- but not by too much -- than his underlying metrics indicated. If he can put up similar or better numbers in 2027, the Phillies will certainly take it.
Key stat
99.3 mph avg. fastball velocity
Of the 633 pitchers who threw at least 200 combined four-seamers and sinkers in 2026, only 10 (including Duran) had a higher average velocity on those heaters than McFarlane. The right-hander hit triple digits on the radar gun on 68 of his 216 combined fastballs (31.5%), topping out at 102.2 mph in his second big league appearance.
Hitters went 4-for-25 (.160) with nine strikeouts in plate appearances ending on McFarlane’s fastball and fared little better against his sinker, going 5-for-23 (.217) with a pair of K’s. The righty baffled same-side hitters with his sweeper (0-for-6, four strikeouts) and also threw a slider primarily to left-handed batters.
Biggest question for 2027
Can he cut down on walks?
Walks might not seem at first glance like a major issue for McFarlane, whose 8.9% walk rate in the Majors was close to league average. In fact, his debut stint in the big leagues featured a lower walks-per-nine-innings rate (3.3) than McFarlane had ever previously had in college or in the Minors. Between Double-A Reading and Triple-A Lehigh Valley in 2026, McFarlane walked 20 hitters in 39 1/3 innings (12.5% walk rate).
McFarlane has improved his control over the years -- he issued 38 free passes in 50 1/3 innings for Single-A Clearwater in 2023, his first full season in the Minors -- but walks can still be a problem. The Phillies will hope McFarlane’s lower walk rate during his debut campaign is sustainable.