Inside The Phillies

Philadelphia Phillies' Failure To Re-Sign All-Star Relievers Has Proven Disastrous

The Philadelphia Phillies' bullpen has collapsed after losing two of its best relievers.
Tyler Maher|
Apr 6, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies manager Rob Thomson (59) makes a pitching change during the seventh inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Citizens Bank Park.
Apr 6, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies manager Rob Thomson (59) makes a pitching change during the seventh inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Citizens Bank Park. | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

In this story:

Philadelphia Phillies

Last year, the Philadelphia Phillies' bullpen was solid, ranking third in MLB in strikeout rate (9.7 K/9), 10th in FIP (3.83) and 14th in ERA (3.94).

This year, however, the Phillies' bullpen has been a disaster. Following back-to-back horrendous performances against the lowly Miami Marlins, Philadelphia has the second-worst bullpen ERA in baseball at 5.81, ahead of only the Washington Nationals.

One major reason for the unit's regression is the dual loss of Jeff Hoffman and Carlos Estevez, which is quickly turning out to be a colossal mistake.

Hoffman was one of the team's best relievers in 2023 and 2024, going 8-5 with a 2.28 ERA and 11 saves over 122 appearances. He was an All-Star for the first time last season, solidifying his reputation as one of the top relievers in baseball.

The Phillies let him walk last offseason, however, essentially swapping closers with the Toronto Blue Jays. Hoffman inked a three-year, $33 million deal with the Blue Jays, while Philadelphia signed Toronto's former closer, Jordan Romano, to a one-year, $8.5 million deal.

The Phillies also failed to bring back All-Star closer Carlos Estevez after acquiring him from the Los Angeles Angels last summer, letting him sign a two-year, $22 million pact with the Kansas City Royals on the heels of his career-best 2.45 ERA and 0.91 WHIP in 2024.

Those decisions have backfired spectacularly for the Phillies. Not only is Romano struggling mightily for them, but Hoffman and Estevez are also flourishing with their new teams.

In 10 appearances with Toronto, Hoffman is 2-0 with a 1.59 ERA and an MLB-high nine saves. Estevez is 1-0 with a 0.90 ERA and five saves for the Royals.

Meanwhile, Romano has only one save for Philadelphia alongside a horrific 15.26 ERA.

The Phillies took a risk on Romano after his poor, injury-marred 2024 (6.59 ERA), and so far, it's not paying off. They tried to save some money in the ninth inning, and they're getting what they paid for.

Meanwhile, Hoffman and Estevez look like money well spent for their new clubs. If they keep it up and stay healthy, they'll both be worth every cent.

The double-whammy of losing two of the best relievers in baseball and replacing them with one of the worst has been catastrophic for Philadelphia. Romano still has plenty of time to turn things around, but it's already clear that the Phillies made a massive mistake by letting Hoffman and Estevez get away.

Recommended Articles

Published
Tyler Maher
TYLER MAHER

Tyler is a writer for Sports Illustrated's Inside the Phillies. He grew up in Massachusetts and is a huge Boston sports fan, especially the Red Sox. He went to Tufts University and played club baseball for the Jumbos. Since graduating, he has worked for MLB.com, The Game Day, FanDuel and Forbes. When he's not writing about baseball, he enjoys running, traveling, and playing fetch with his golden retriever.

Home/News