Philadelphia

Phillies

After dealing away left-hander Matt Strahm on Friday morning, the Phillies moved quickly to add another left-handed reliever to their bullpen mix. Backhus, 27, registered a 4.62 ERA, 1.42 WHIP and a 22/8 K/BB ratio over 25 1/3 innings across 32 appearances with the Diamondbacks in 2025, his first taste of big league action. He’ll add bullpen depth from the left side for the Phillies.

It’s an interesting reliever for reliever swap assuming that the Phillies don’t have plans to convert Bowlan to a starter next spring. The 29-year-old registered a serviceable 3.86 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 46/17 K/BB ratio across 44 1/3 innings with the Royals last year. Given that he’s out of options, Bowlan seems destined for a middle relief role in the Phillies’ season-opening bullpen.

Strahm returns home to the organization that drafted him in the 21st round back in 2012. The 34-year-old hurler debuted with the Royals in 2016 before traveling around the league. While he has some experience in the ninth inning, it’s likely that he’ll settle into his traditional setup role with the Royals.

The deal is now official. Keller’s metamorphosis into an elite high-leverage reliever with the Cubs last season was fueled by a massive velocity uptick, which led to a sparkling 2.07 ERA — 2.93 FIP — 0.96 WHIP and 75/22 K/BB ratio across 69 2/3 innings. The 30-year-old journeyman fortifies Philadelphia’s setup mix leading to upper-echelon closer Jhoan Duran. He’s one of the few non-closing relief arms worthy of a roster spot in deeper mixed leagues.

Robert Murray of FanSided was first to report the agreement. Keller busted out as a top-flight reliever for the Cubs last season, posting a 2.07 ERA in 69 2/3 innings, so it’s not surprising to see him get this kind of money. The Phillies will have him help set up for Jhoan Duran.

He’ll be flanked by Brandon Marsh and Marsh’s platoon partner (probably Otto Kemp or Weston Wilson) in left and Adolis García in right. The Phillies could also carry Johan Rojas as a center field alternative against lefties and potential late-game defensive replacement, but the hope is that Crawford will seize the moment and turn into an everyday guy. The soon-to-be 22-year-old hit .334/.411/.452 with 46 steals in Triple-A last season, but his groundball tendencies on offense and his occasional poor routes in center make him something of a question mark.

García is slated to replace Nick Castellanos as the Phillies’ right fielder, though Castellanos will remain on the roster until the team can find someone willing to take on a portion of his $20 million salary. It may or may not prove to be an offensive upgrade for the Phillies, but García has had the better OPS+ of the two three of the last four seasons (2024 was the exception) and he’ll be a big upgrade on defense. The ballpark switch should be big for García’s fantasy value, as Globe Life Park has really punished right-handed hitters the last couple of years. He’ll still likely be a liability in terms of batting average, but he could bounce back to 25-30 homers and make a run at 90 RBI.

The Phillies were never willing to give Crawford a try last season, even as he was on his way to hitting .334/.411/.452 in Triple-A. Crawford, who turns 22 next month, is a rather controversial prospect, in part because he’s an extreme groundball hitter and because his defense in center isn’t as good as his speed would suggest. Still, he hits the ball pretty hard, he’s improved his K/BB as he’s climbed the ladder and he’s an excellent basestealer. He’d have some mixed-league potential if he proves to be an everyday guy.

ESPN’s Jeff Passan confirmed the agreement shortly after Romero’s initial report. It looks like the Phillies have replaced Nick Castellanos before the inevitable trade that will ship him out of town. García, the 2023 ALCS MVP, is coming off back-to-back down seasons, but he has a Gold Glove in his past and 30-home run power, so perhaps moving to Philadelphia for a change of scenery could help him recapture some of that magic. It certainly hasn’t helped his cause that Globe Life Field has been about as tough of a ballpark for right-handed hitters as any in the league the last couple of years. He should benefit from hitter-friendly Citizens Bank Park and Philadelphia’s strong lineup, which makes him a top-60 range outfielder in fantasy drafts next spring.

The 27-year-old hurler elected free agency from the White Sox after he was removed from their 40-man roster in September. It’s unclear if it will be a major league contract or of the minor league variety with an invitation to big league camp. Wilson posted a disappointing 6.65 ERA, 1.82 WHIP and a 28/19 K/BB ratio over 47 1/3 innings in 20 appearances with the White Sox in 2025.