PHILADELPHIA – President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski indicated on Tuesday that the Phillies would pursue a reliever or two before Spring Training.
He got one less than 24 hours later.
Sources confirmed to MLB.com that the Phillies and right-hander Brad Keller have agreed to a two-year, $22 million contract, pending a physical. FanSided’s Robert Murray first reported the deal.
Keller, 30, went 4-2 with a 2.07 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and .182 opponents’ batting average this season in 68 appearances (one start) with the Cubs. He struck out 75 and walked 22 in 69 2/3 innings. Keller ranked 14th out of 144 qualified relievers (minimum 50 innings) in ERA. He ranked 17th in opponents’ batting average and 20th in WHIP.
Keller made 114 starts for the Royals from 2018-23, but he will be used exclusively as a reliever in Philadelphia.
Keller had thoracic outlet syndrome surgery in October 2023. He struggled in 2024 with the White Sox and Red Sox. But, fully healthy in 2025, he had a career year. His four-seam fastball, which he threw 42.2 percent of the time, averaged a career-best 97.2 mph. His fastball averaged 93.8 mph in 2024.
He also threw a slider (17.3 percent), sweeper (14.5 percent), sinker (14.4 percent) and changeup (11.7 percent), generating swing and miss with each one.
He produced a chase rate (30.4 percent) that ranked in MLB’s 76th percentile. He held batters to a 30.6 percent hard-hit rate, which ranked in the 99th percentile. His strikeout rate (27.2 percent) ranked in the 80th percentile.
The Phillies now have six locks in the eight-man bullpen: closer Jhoan Duran; left-handers Matt Strahm, José Alvarado and Tanner Banks; and right-handers Keller and Orion Kerkering.
The Phils remain interested in re-signing free-agent catcher J.T. Realmuto. They have an offer on the table.