The Phillies have spent their Friday reshaping their bullpen. After trading away Matt Strahm earlier in the day, they brought in a different lefthanded reliever in Kyle Backhus.
The 27-year-old Backhus made his major league debut with the Diamondbacks in 2025, appearing in 32 games with a 4.62 ERA. He was very effective against lefthand hitters, holding them to a .135/.225/.278 slash line. However, he struggled greatly against righthanded hitters with those same numbers at .365/.417/.578.
Backhus will likely serve as relief depth in 2026 and should be in the mix for one of the final bullpen jobs in camp. Jose Alvarado and Tanner Banks look like the team’s top two lefthanded options, but if Backhus can repeat his performance against lefties, there will probably be a spot for him as well.
