The Dodgers activated Phillips (shoulder) from the 15-day injured list Saturday.
Phillips was expected to return from the injured list next week, but he will rejoin the Dodgers on Saturday after Blake Treinen (forearm) was placed on the IL. Phillips has not pitched at the MLB level since Game 6 of the NLCS against the Mets in October due to a right shoulder strain, but he's appeared in six rehab games with Triple-A Oklahoma City. Across those six rehab outings, Phillips registered a 6.35 ERA, 1.92 WHIP and 9:1 K:BB across 5.2 innings.
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Dodgers' Evan Phillips: Expected to return next week
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Phillips (shoulder) is expected to return to the Dodgers during their series against the Cubs starting April 22, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports.
Phillips has been battling through a right shoulder strain since October, which prevented him from being on the Dodgers' World Series roster. He started the season on the 15-day injured list and embarked on his rehab assignment at Triple-A Oklahoma City on April 3, allowing six runs (four earned) on nine hits and one walk while striking out nine across 5.2 innings since. Barring any setbacks, Phillips should return to the Dodgers' bullpen next week.
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Dodgers' Evan Phillips: Pitches on consecutive days
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Phillips (shoulder) struck out a batter and allowed one hit in a scoreless inning of relief during his rehab appearance Wednesday with Triple-A Oklahoma City.
Phillips made the sixth appearance of his rehab assignment, and perhaps most notably, he pitched on consecutive days for the first time during his assignment. He was roughed up for two runs on three hits over one inning Tuesday, but Phillips was much sharper Wednesday in a high-leverage spot. He entered the game with two runners on and no outs, but after striking out a batter and then allowing a single to load the bases, he induced a game-ending double play to secure the save. Provided that the Dodgers are satisfied with the condition on his shoulder coming out of Wednesday's appearance, Phillips could be activated from the 15-day injured list this weekend to make his season debut for the big club.
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Dodgers' Evan Phillips: Struggles in fifth rehab appearance
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Phillips (shoulder) allowed two runs on three hits while striking out two batters in one inning during a rehab outing with Triple-A Oklahoma City on Tuesday.
While Phillips struggled Tuesday, he also had some bad fortune, as one of the hits he allowed was a grounder off the end of the bat and another was a soft liner over the head of the first baseman. It's been a rough rehab stint so far for Phillips, as he has a 7.71 ERA across five appearances covering 4.2 frames. The Dodgers will likely be more focused on Phillips' strong 8:1 K:BB so far, however, and it wouldn't be surprising if the veteran reliever is activated off the IL in the near future.
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Dodgers' Evan Phillips: Begins rehab stint
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Phillips (shoulder) allowed a run on a hit and a walk over one inning while striking out one batter in a rehab appearance with Triple-A Oklahoma City on Thursday.
Phillips kicked off a minor-league rehab stint after being slow-played during spring training as he rehabs from a torn muscle in his rotator cuff. The righty reliever reached 94 mph on the radar gun with his fastball Thursday and completed one inning of work. It's not yet clear how long Phillips will spend with Oklahoma City, but he could be ready to make his regular-season debut with the big club in mid-to-late April.
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Dodgers' Evan Phillips: Faces hitters Friday
Rotowire
Phillips (shoulder) faced live hitters at Dodger Stadium on Friday, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.
Friday marked the fourth time Phillips has pitched to hitters after he got a late start to spring training while battling a shoulder injury that kept him out of the World Series last year. The veteran reliever is currently on the injured list, but given his progress, he could be ready to join the big-league bullpen when first eligible April 11. Phillips led the Dodgers in saves during each of the past two regular seasons but is unlikely to receive more than an occasional save chance this year with Tanner Scott now in the fold and Kirby Yates, Michael Kopech (shoulder) and Blake Treinen all having experience pitching in the ninth inning as well.
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Dodgers' Evan Phillips: Tossing bullpens
Rotowire
Phillips (shoulder) has resumed throwing bullpen sessions, per MLB.com.
Phillips is recovering from a torn muscle in his rotator cuff that dates back to the postseason last year. The right-hander was slow-played during spring training and was placed on the 15-day injured list in mid-March. Phillips worked as the Dodgers' closer for much of the past two seasons, but he's likely to take on a middle-relief role upon his return in 2025.
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Dodgers' Evan Phillips: Officially moved to IL
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Phillips (shoulder) was placed on the 15-day injured list Monday, Sonja Chen of MLB.com reports.
Phillips isn't expected to be ready for a return from a right shoulder injury until the first or second week of April, and the team has decided a stint on the injured list is in the team's best interest to begin the 2025 regular season. A timetable for his return should come into focus as he gains clearance to face live hitters
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Dodgers' Evan Phillips: Could be ready by early April
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Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Wednesday that Phillips (shoulder) could be active by the first or second week of April, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.
Phillips has been slow-played this spring as he comes back from a right shoulder injury, but Roberts was impressed with how the reliever looked during his most recent bullpen session. While a stint on the injured list is in the offing, Phillips' absence might be brief. The former closer could be looking at more of a middle-relief role this season as part of a loaded Dodgers bullpen.
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Dodgers' Evan Phillips: Completes third spring 'pen session
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Phillips (shoulder) threw his third bullpen session of spring training Thursday, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.
Phillips has already ruled himself out for the Dodgers' first two games of the season March 18 and 19 in Tokyo versus the Cubs, but the right-handed reliever may still have a chance of being ready to go for the March 27 domestic opener versus the Tigers if he experiences no setbacks during the ramp-up process. Though he led the Dodgers with 18 saves in 2024, Phillips will likely find himself at least a couple rungs lower in the bullpen pecking order during the upcoming season after Los Angeles added two other pitchers with more closing experience (Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates) in free agency.
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Dodgers' Evan Phillips: Uncertain for domestic opener
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Manager Dave Roberts said Saturday that Phillips (shoulder) being ready for Opening Day is in doubt, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports.
Phillips' shoulder problems date back to last year's postseason, as a torn rotator cuff prevented him from playing in the World Series. He's gotten back to throwing off a mound since the start of spring training, but he has already been ruled out for Los Angeles' two-game series against the Cubs in Tokyo.
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Dodgers' Evan Phillips: Bullpen session on tap
Rotowire
Phillips (shoulder) will throw a bullpen session Friday, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.
It will be his first this spring, as Phillips is still working his way back from a right shoulder injury that kept him out of last year's World Series. While he has already been ruled out for the Dodgers' two-game series in Tokyo versus the Cubs on March 18-19, it's not clear whether he might have a chance to be ready for the team's domestic opener March 27.
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Dodgers' Evan Phillips: Still battling shoulder injury
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Phillips is unlikely to be ready for Opening Day due to the shoulder injury that kept him out of the 2024 World Series, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.
Phillips was originally held out of the World Series due to "arm fatigue," but it was revealed Tuesday that he suffered a tear in his rotator cuff during the NLCS. The 30-year-old reliever received a platelet-rich plasma injection in his shoulder in November and wasn't able to start a throwing program until January. It's unclear how far behind schedule Phillips is, but there's a growing chance he will begin the regular season on the injured list.
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Dodgers' Evan Phillips: Settles with L.A. at $6.1 million
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The Dodgers and Phillips avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $6.1 million contract Thursday, Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times reports.
Phillips' ERA rose to 3.62 this season for the Dodgers, but he still boasted a 63:17 K:BB across 54.2 regular-season innings. The right-handed reliever was left off the team's World Series roster due to arm fatigue but is expected to be fine for spring training.
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Dodgers' Evan Phillips: Should be ready for spring
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President of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said Tuesday that Phillips (arm/shoulder) is feeling "fine" and should be ready to go for spring training, Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times reports.
Phillips dealt with arm fatigue during Game 6 of the NLCS and was left off the Dodgers' World Series roster as a result. He hasn't started up a throwing program since then, but it appears the team isn't concerned about his availability for the start of spring training and Opening Day. The 30-year-old righty turned in a 3.62 ERA and 1.19 WHIP across 54.2 innings in 2024 -- his worst regular-season line since joining the Dodgers in 2021 -- but he figures to continue seeing regular high-leverage opportunities in 2025.
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Dodgers' Evan Phillips: Off roster due to arm fatigue
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Phillips (arm) is not on the Dodgers' World Series roster, Eric Stephen of SBNation.com reports.
Phillips revealed Thursday that he dealt with arm fatigue during his NLCS Game 6 appearance. While he said at the time he expected to be on the World Series roster, the Dodgers ultimately opted to leave him off. Phillips had made five scoreless appearances this postseason.
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Dodgers' Evan Phillips: Secures 18th save
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Phillips pitched a perfect inning to earn the save in Saturday's 8-6 win over the Diamondbacks.
Phillips was sharp in August, allowing two runs (one earned) over 12.1 innings while posting a 20:1 K:BB across 14 appearances. He picked up three saves, four holds, one blown save and one win, as the Dodgers have stuck with a committee approach to closing duties after Phillips' rough July. Overall, he has a 3.22 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and 55:12 K:BB with 18 saves in 21 chances and six holds over 44.2 innings this season.
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Dodgers' Evan Phillips: Fans two for 17th save
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Phillips picked up the save over Baltimore on Thursday, striking out two over a scoreless ninth inning.
Phillips hit Cedric Mullins with a pitch to start off the ninth after entering the contest to protect a three-run lead. However, the right-hander was able to retire the next three batters, two by way of strikeout, to secure his 17th save of the campaign. Phillips had blown three of his last five save opportunities, but he carries a sharp 0.79 ERA in August to go along with a highly impressive 20:1 K:BB. He's also recorded multiple strikeouts in three straight appearances.
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Dodgers' Evan Phillips: Blows save Saturday
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Phillips blew a save opportunity against Tampa Bay on Saturday, allowing one run on one hit while striking out three batters over one inning.
Phillips entered in the ninth inning with the Dodgers up by one run and served up a game-tying solo shot to the first batter he faced (Junior Caminero). Though Phillips bounced back to strike out the next three hitters, it was nonetheless a missed opportunity for the All-Star reliever as he seeks to reestablish himself as the Dodgers' primary closer. The right-hander lost his ninth-inning role after a rough stretch from late June to late July during which he posted an 11.42 ERA and blew two saves over 11 appearances spanning 8.2 innings. Phillips has rebounded in August, as he entered Saturday with 8.1 scoreless frames and a 13:1 K:BB through 10 outings, and he notched his first save in nearly a month Aug. 19 versus Seattle. It's unclear how much Saturday's blown save will impact his opportunities for saves moving forward, but it's likely that Los Angeles will continue to distribute such chances to a variety of relievers, including Michael Kopech and Daniel Hudson in addition to Phillips.
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Dodgers' Evan Phillips: Grabs save Monday
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Phillips struck out one in a perfect inning to earn the save in Monday's 3-0 win over the Mariners.
It was far from a nervy outing, as Phillips threw nine of 13 pitches for strikes to earn his first save since July 23. All three of Phillips, Daniel Hudson and Michael Kopech had pitched Sunday, so it's noteworthy Phillips got the save chance here against the top of the Mariners' order. For the season, he has 16 saves in 18 opportunities along with a 3.40 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and 47:12 K:BB through 39.2 innings. The Dodgers' have a bevy of high-leverage options, so don't expect Phillips to be a full-time closer even if he gets more looks going forward than he did over the last month.
