Dave Roberts Provides Optimistic Timeline on Latest Dodgers Injured Pitcher

J.P. Hoornstra | May 8, 2025

Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Evan Phillips (59) celebrates with Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes (15) after the final out against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park. / Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

The injury timeline for Dodgers pitcher Evan Phillips is the opposite of bleak.

Phillips, who was placed on the injured list with right forearm discomfort Wednesday, could have pitched in the series finale against the Miami Marlins, manager Dave Roberts told reporters after the Dodgers' 10-1 win at loanDepot Park.

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Phillips told reporters, including Bill Plunkett of the Southern California News Group, that his forearm soreness has “kind of bounced around a little bit,” affecting him “in my lower arm, or bicep, tricep, forearm.”

Dave Roberts said Evan Phillips could’ve pitched today if needed. Both he and Phillips didn’t sound overly concerned and Roberts said he doesn’t think Phillips will require an MRI. Phillips reported soreness the last few days but felt fine whenever he pitched.

— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) May 7, 2025

The upshot, then, is that Phillips' stay on the 15-day injured list could be close to 15 days.

The Dodgers recalled Matt Sauer to take Phillips' place on the active roster for Wednesday's game. Sauer did something Phillips could not have, healthy or otherwise: Pitched four innings in relief of starter Landon Knack.

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Phillips, 30, was the Dodgers' primary closer for much of the 2023 and 2024 seasons. All but one of his 46 career saves have been recorded since he was claimed off waivers by the Dodgers in August 2021.

This year, Phillips had made seven appearances for the Dodgers without allowing a run in 5.2 innings. He had walked two batters, struck out six, and recorded a save against the Braves last Friday in his penultimate appearance.

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In his eight-year major league career with the Atlanta Braves, Baltimore Orioles, Tampa Bay Rays and Dodgers, Phillips is 16-12 with a 3.36 ERA in 250 appearances.

Phillips was effectively picked up off the reliever scrap heap by the Dodgers during their 2021 playoff hunt. Within a year, he was closing games and using his devastating slider to rack up strikeouts in high-leverage situations.

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Now, the Dodgers will look to a rotating cast of right-handers to pick up the slack in Phillips' absence.

Sauer, a starting pitcher for the Dodgers' top farm team in April, is likely to be leaned on in multi-inning situations and could return to Triple-A Oklahoma City quickly after pitching in bulk Wednesday.

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Besides Sauer, right-handers Luis Garcia, Kirby Yates, and Ben Casparius, and left-handers Jack Dreyer, Anthony Banda, Alex Vesia and Tanner Scott are listed on the Dodgers' active roster.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto is scheduled to start the opener of the series in Phoenix opposite Dbacks right-hander Brandon Pfaadt.

For more Dodgers news, visit Dodgers on SI.