The San Diego Padres have expressed the need for bullpen help at the deadline.
While names like Astros’ Josh Hader and Red Sox’s Aroldis Chapman roll nicely off the tongue, there’s another player in Miami that the Friars should be considering–Marlins‘ psycho reliever Tyler Phillips.
Padres Should Trade For Tyler Phillips
Phillips, a 28-year-old in the Marlins’ bullpen, should be a primary trade target for anyone seeking bullpen help.
The right-hander is having an impressive campaign so far. His 1.82 ERA across 48.1 innings of work ranks him among MLB’s best arms in 2026.
Phillips finds his success with a combination of sheer competitiveness and devastating movement. Often known for his tactic of slapping himself in the face before he enters a game, there lies the competitive edge.
On the movement tangent, Phillips sports a sinker/split-finger combo that acts as a mirage. His tunneling fools MLB’s best due to the innate ability of his pitches to move in one another’s shadows.
Hitters have become accustomed to the sinker, which has an xBA of .303, but his split-finger remains wildly effective, holding an xBA of .195.
Phillips may be outperforming his expected numbers right now. His xERA of 3.88, while still respectable, isn’t nearly as shiny as his current production.
Due to the potential for decline and his lesser pedigree, he’ll likely be cheaper than a Chapman or a Hader.
The Padres don’t have a deep farm system to shell out pieces from. San Diego’s front office doesn’t need to shoot itself in the foot and acquire a big name; they need a reliable option–like Phillips.
Even Without Tyler Phillips–The Friars Are Nasty
The Padres currently rank fifth in baseball in team bullpen ERA–and it’s no surprise.
Closer Mason Miller got off to a start that rivals San Diego legend Trevor Hoffman, and his merry band of strikeout bandits is no slouch either.
Other Padres relievers with an ERA under 3.50 include Jason Adam (1.50), Bradgley Rodriguez (2.01), Wandy Peralta (2.30), and Yuki Matsui (1.83).
With the backend of their relief core being such a strong option already, it’s clear that AJ Preller and Co. are doubling down by adding more weapons.
The Padres have been in a skid as of late. Even with an immaculate bullpen, hard times fall upon underperforming offenses.
Social Media Reacts to Padres’ Offense
Here’s what people have been saying:
Baseball Unstitched: “Coming into today, the Padres had only scored 15 runs in the first inning ALL SEASON LONG. Today they get number 16 on a Manny Machado double down the LF line!”
Soldier of GOD: “#Padres AJ Prellar to do list no.1 is at or before deadline.. acquire an impact bat for this lineup! The no.1 reason they are barely holding on. After a great start, losing Laureano for the Year(very impactful), cutting loose Castellanos, Cronezone injured/out much of the yr.. Prellar never filled those lineup holes of guys like Ohearn or Laureano (now that he’s hurt. You can’t have a successful team just off 2-3 hitters. You have to have a deep lineup off 7-8 strong hitters.”
PaceBall: “Padres — Offense Rankings: Runs: 30th, Hits: 30th, HR: 19th, RBI: 30th, AVG: 30th, OBP: 30th, SLG: 30th, OPS: 30th, Walks: 22nd, SB: 7th. #ForTheFaithful.”
Foul Territory: “‘If they’re still in this offensive malaise, I don’t see how they can look at it and say, ‘We’re going all in here.’’ @Ken_Rosenthal says the Padres’ trade deadline approach may depend on whether their offense turns things around.”
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