The Philadelphia Phillies have been in desperate need of bullpen help.
Outside of closer Jhoan Duran, Philadelphia’s bullpen has been very much hit-or-miss. Duran has a 1.38 ERA and has converted 24 of 25 save opportunities. But outside of him, just two other Phillies relievers have an ERA below 3.50.
José Alvarado has been especially disappointing with a 6.82 ERA in 39 appearances.
However, according to Matt Gelb of The Athletic, the Phillies could be getting a huge reinforcement. Gelb hinted that Phillies No. 2 prospect and top pitching prospect, Gage Wood, could have a role in the Phillies’ struggling bullpen as soon as late in this season.
What Did Gelb Say About Philadelphia Phillies Prospect Gage Wood?
After Wood impressed with his stuff in the All-Star Futures Game, there might be a case to bring up the top pitching prospect late in the season, according to Gelb.
“The Philadelphia Phillies are contending,” Gelb wrote. “They will look to patch holes at the upcoming trade deadline, but they will not be able to fix everything. Maybe Wood is the centerpiece of a bigger trade to boost the club. Maybe he’s a late-season call-up as a reliever.”
At the Futures Game, despite giving up a run in his lone inning, Wood showcased his arsenal, topping out at 97.7 mph with his fastball.
The Phillies selected Wood in the first round of the 2025 MLB Draft out of the University of Arkansas, where his career highlight was a 19-strikeout no-hitter in the College World Series. He has been fast-tracked through the minors and is already at Double-A. He could very well be the first player from that round to make the majors.
Wood possesses an elite fastball that doesn’t just have velocity, but great carry and run. According to scouts and experts, his fastball may be major league ready. He pairs that with solid secondary pitches and good control.
In 16 games between Low-A and Double-A in 2026, he has a 3.44 ERA with 79 strikeouts in 55 innings.
He has been purposefully kept at an innings limit, possibly to transition him from a starter to a major league reliever.
State Of the Team’s Bullpen
With many of their top prospects graduating, Philadelphia’s farm system is one of the worst in baseball.
This makes it harder for the Phillies’ pitching to improve internally, especially with former top prospect Andrew Painter struggling as a starter.
With starters Zack Wheeler, Cristopher Sánchez and Jesús Luzardo having All-Star-caliber seasons, the rotation hasn’t been a pressing need.
However, the bullpen is certainly something that the Phillies will look to improve at the Trade Deadline, as most contending teams will.
Two bright spots outside of Duran in the bullpen have been Orion Kerkering and Jonathan Bowlan.
Kerkering has a 2.43 ERA in 39 appearances with 41 strikeouts in 37 innings of work. Meanwhile, Bowlan, the return for Matt Strahm, has impressed. In 33 appearances, Bowlan has pitched to a 2.93 ERA with 38 strikeouts in 30.2 innings.
Both have been crucial in the back end of the bullpen.
Outside of those two, Tim Mayza has been solid with a 3.59 ERA in 42.2 innings.
However, Wood blows away most of the Phillies’ staff with his raw stuff.
Could Wood be another fearsome contributor in high-leverage situations? It seems that the Phillies are preparing for Wood to be a potential late-season call-up.
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