October 12, 2026
Bill Streicher/Imagn Images
The Phillies are left looking for answers in the bullpen after lefty José Alvarado had a bad 2026.
The Phillies only have three relief pitchers (or four depending how you count) slated to become free agents in a few weeks.
The bullpen was god awful in 2026, and is the prime candidate for major turnover heading into 2027.
There is a long list of arms the Phillies will actually retain control over, like Jhoan Duran, Orion Kerkering, Chase Shugart and others. But they'll get their own article next week.
For now, let's look at the cases for (or more strongly the cases against) four free agent pitchers: José Alvarado, Tim Mayza, Brooks Raley and José Urquidy.
MORE STAY OR GO: Alec Bohm | Luis Arráez | Edmundo Sosa | Dave Dombrowski | Don Mattingly
Why he should stay:
For a time, during the current era of Phillies contention, Alvarado was a reliable lefty specialist who was at often quite dominant. In 2023 he had a 3.18 ERA over 51 innings, and a year later in 2024 he had a 1.74 ERA and was among the best late inning men in baseball.
He's obviously fallen off. But at 31, he's still in his prime, and his drop off in 2025 and 2026 could net the Phillies a pretty good, team friendly short-term deal. If the price is right, the bullpen is so bad there's an argument to be made he's worth a flier.
Why he should go:
If you saw him pitch, you know this argument. Alvarado followed up his partially PED suspended 2025 season (with a 3.81 ERA) with a 2026 campaign that was sloppy, messy and ugly. He had a 5.86 ERA over 58.1 innings. His WAR was -0.4. For some reason, Don Mattingly kept trotting him out there.
If Alvarado doesn't return, his last two appearances for the Phillies tell the story. In losses to the Brewers and Rays during their stressful week of trying to clinch a playoff berth, the lefty allowed six runs on three hits and four walks. He retired a total of two batters — one in each game.
Why he should stay:
If the Phillies do choose to bring back one lefty, Mayza is probably the guy. He's a versatile arm — going multiple innings multiple times last season. He may be older, he'll be 35 next season, but the Millersville alum held it together when many other Phils pitchers couldn't, with a respectable 3.48 ERA in 2026.
Mayza led Phillies relievers in innings pitched and was a workhorse. His 1.5 WAR was the best of any reliever not named Jhoan Duran. The numbers paint a pretty clear picture, and if the Phillies bring anyone back on this list it should be Mayza.
Why he should go:
The bullpen needs a total overhaul, and it needs to get younger. Sure, on the cheap, on a one-year deal, Mayza is a no brainer. But the Phillies need a total re-do in their pen. We've seen this one before — a reliever with a decent track record in their mid to late 30s falls off a cliff stuff-wise. Why not go for someone without that sort of risk attached?
Why he should stay:
Our third straight lefty bullpen arm, Raley was acquired at the trade deadline from the Mets, where he had a 1.96 ERA to start the 2026 season. Over his 128.2 innings pitching in New York, Raley had a 2.31 ERA — he was worth acquiring. There's always a chance he reverted to the mean. His Phillies tenure was over a pretty small sample size.
Why he should go:
Raley is 38, and had a 7.94 ERA over 11.1 innings following the trade. He did not make the Phillies' postseason roster.
Why he should stay:
A desperation signing in September, the veteran starter allowed three runs over two appearances totaling 7.1 innings. Philly was very light on starting pitching at the end of the year and needed a few ugly bullpen-led games to reach Game 162. Having some starting depth should be a priority for 2026 and if Urquidy is available, he's as solid a choice as any to be a sixth starter type.
Why he should go:
Philly has all five of its starting pitchers slated to be back in 2027 — three of whom will be finishing in the top 10 in NL Cy Young voting. The bullpen is the priority, with Urquidy more of a luxury item than a necessity.
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