Braves just made the Reds' bullpen problem much more expensive

The Atlanta Braves struck the biggest free agent deal of the offseason so far after agreeing to a three-year, $35 million contract with former Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Evan Phillips. The Braves are taking on quite the gamble given Phillips' recent injury history, and this deal could have a trickle-down effect that may keep the Cincinnati Reds on the sideline until the impending lockout is lifted.

Phillips has been a quality reliever in the past, but after suffering an elbow injury and undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2025, he missed all but seven games that year the first-half of the 2026 season. He returned to make 31 appearances out of the Dodgers' bullpen in 2026, covered 26 innings of work, and ended the year with a respectable 3.46 ERA.

There was a three-year stretch from 2022-2024 when Phillips was among the best relievers in the game. He posted a collective 2.21 ERA, racked up 44 total saves, and averaged over 65 innings pitched. But the injuries began to creep up in 2025, starting with a rotator cuff strain before Opening Day. Phillips then suffered a forearm injury, and eventually underwent Tommy John. Given his age (32), this three-year deal worth more than $11 million per season is quite the investment on the part of the Braves' organization.

Braves deal for Evan Phillips could keep the Reds quiet until after the MLB lockout

But with only about three weeks remaining until the likely arrival of a lockout — one that will put a halt to all roster transactions — players and teams are becoming more and more desperate to get deals done now. This contract in particular would seem to favor the reliever market, which was a major area of concern for the Reds heading into the offseason.

The Reds lost Brock Burke to free agency earlier this month, and after Emilio Pagán elected to opt out of his contract and join the Detroit Tigers, Cincinnati's relief corps is in dire straits. Though both Phillips and Pagán are high-leverage relievers, neither is what most would consider elite. If $11 million-plus (and multiple years) is what it will take to land a backend bullpen arm, it's difficult see the Reds getting involved.

Cincinnati may prefer to scour the mid-to-lower tier market and find a grouping of relievers willing to take a one-year contract. The Reds certainly need to beef up their bullpen, but with so many other holes on the roster, Cincinnati can ill afford to overpay for such players.

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