ATLANTA — The Dodgers hope to retain several of their free agent relief pitchers this winter, but at least one of them will have a new home in 2027.
The Atlanta Braves signed relief pitcher Evan Phillips to a three-year, $35 million contract on Thursday, bringing the right-hander back to his original team after a promising return from Tommy John surgery for the Dodgers.
Phillips, 32, will make $11 million in 2027 and 2028 and $13 million in 2029.
With closer Raisel Iglesias a free agent, the Braves were in the market for late-inning reinforcements. Phillips appeared in 31 games for the Dodgers in 2026, posting a 3.46 ERA in 26 innings with 33 strikeouts. He made his season debut right before the All-Star break, just over a year after elbow ligament replacement surgery.
Over his last 14 appearances in the regular season, Phillips had 19 strikeouts and a 1.46 ERA in 12⅓ innings. He made five scoreless appearances in the playoffs for the Dodgers, who beat the Braves in the National League Division Series, 3-1.
Over the last five years, Phillips has a 2.31 ERA, the best in the NL and fourth-best in the majors among those who pitched in at least 200 games. Fellow Braves relievers Robert Suarez (2.66) and Dylan Lee (2.84) rank fourth and seventh in the NL during that span. Phillips has not allowed a run in 17 career postseason appearances, winning the 2024 World Series with the Dodgers.
Phillips was drafted by the Braves in the 17th round in 2015 and made his major league debut in 2018. The native of North Carolina was traded to the Baltimore Orioles for starting pitcher Kevin Gausman less than a month later. Phillips was picked up by the Dodgers in 2021.
From 2022 to 2024, Phillips posted a 2.21 ERA and 0.92 WHIP for the Dodgers, saved 44 games and struck out 206 batters in 179 regular-season innings.
He suffered a rotator cuff injury in March 2025 and returned a month later before ultimately going on the injured list and opting for surgery in May 2025.
Phillips re-signed with the Dodgers last season on a one-year, $6.5 million deal.
In nine MLB seasons, Phillips is 19-14 with 47 saves and a 3.37 ERA in 281 games for the Braves, Baltimore Orioles, Tampa Bay Rays and Dodgers.