Phillies Flamethrowing Relief Pitcher Orion Kerkering a Major X-Factor in Path to the World Series

The Philadelphia Phillies will have to rely on their bullpen heavily as they chase a World Series title in the coming weeks.

As has been the standard for decades, pitching is often the ultimate deciding factor toward postseason success. With an established starting rotation that sits among the league's best in every statistical category, the Phillies' biggest emphasis will be placed on their bullpen.

The addition of All-Star closer Jhoan Duran at the trade deadline has already paid dividends, as he's posted an impressive 2.18 ERA in 20.2 innings with the club. The midseason signing of veteran reliever David Robertson, while not always perfect, has proven to be a savvy move that's done wonders to stabilize the back end of the staff. Southpaw Tanner Banks has also seen his share of consistent success in 2025, with an ERA nearing 3.00 in 69 appearances.

Despite said additions, Philadelphia once again still lacks a true setup man to transition games from the starters to Duran smoothly. Neither Banks nor Robertson truly has the high-level pitching arsenal to fit the typical mold of an effective 8th inning arm, leaving third-year reliever Orion Kerkering as the most logical, but scary, option for the job.

Orion Kerkering , Phillies — Sep 15, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Orion Kerkering (50) throws against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the seventh inning at Dodger Stadium. | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Can Kerkering Rise To The Moment?

Kerkering has been a controversial figure among the Phillies' fanbase since his electric debut in 2023. His elite sweeper and high-octane fastball have been effective across his three seasons. However, nagging control issues and the development of a third pitch have prevented him from blossoming into one of the game's best high-leverage arms.

On the surface, his 3.30 ERA across 60 innings in 2025 appears serviceable, but the base stats are far from the full story. He's appeared almost unhittable at times, but his bad outings have tended to snowball into rough streaks. His walk rate has climbed from 6.6% in 2024 to 10.2% in 2025, with a noticeable drop in his strikeout rate from 28.8% to 24.4%. His Baseball Savant page reveals even more issues, with a 13th percentile chase rate and 36th percentile whiff rate to go along with his 18th percentile walk rate.

With all of that being said, when he's on, Kerkering is still as deadly as they come. Allowing more contact hasn't hindered his game as much as it potentially could, as his Average Exit Velocity and Hard-Hit% metrics are both 93rd percentile or higher. For the majority of the season, he's been effective at limiting hard contact and has kept the ball in the yard, despite an increased fly ball rate.

The MLB Postseason has long been known to produce stars and unlikely heroes. For a Phillies team that has heartbreakingly come up short in each of the last three seasons, the emergence of another impact arm could be massive toward their World Series aspirations.

Orion Kerkering has proven in the past to have all the makings of an elite reliever and has had extended stretches where he's looked just like one. With the importance of the bullpen never as high as it is in October, the righty's performance could go a long way toward determining if the Phillies can finally get over the hump or once again come up short.

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