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I'm writing this on the other side of Christmas, now looking forward to the sounds of spring training that will be here before we know it. After an unceremonious (and painful) end to the 2025 season, I knew I'd need a break from the Phillies, and this is only my fourth real post since Game 4 of the NLDS.
December 16 - El Bombi Signs: It's funny how often one of our favorite non-Phillies ends up on the Phillies. Most recently, Whit Merrifield comes to mind, and hopefully Adolis Garcia (of) fares better in pinstripes than Merrifield did. The Phillies signed Garcia to a one-year, $10 million contract, with Dave Dombrowski confirming Garcia is slated to be the team's everyday right fielder. Garcia is a two-time All-Star and was the ALCS MVP in 2023 with the Rangers, winning a Gold Glove that same year.
He hit .245 that season, reaching career highs in home runs (39) and RBIs (107), and has fallen off each of the past two seasons. In 135 games with the Rangers last year, Garcia batted .227 with 19 home runs and 75 RBIs, and the Phillies are hoping 2026 is a huge bounce-back season for him.
December 18 - Phils Land Keller: Brad Keller (rhp), one of the top relievers in baseball that I'm admittedly not really familiar with, was signed by the Phillies to a two-year, $22 million deal. Keller is a veteran of eight seasons, pitching with the Royals (2018-23), White Sox (2024), Red Sox (2024) and Cubs (2025). He was 4-2 with a 2.07 ERA in 68 appearances and 69 2/3 innings pitched last season. As is the fate of many effective middle relievers, Keller didn't appear on a single baseball card in 2025.
December 19 - Strahm Sent to Royals: In what was deemed to be maneuvering for payroll space, or a way to move a pitcher who had criticized the Phillies' coaching following the NLDS exit, All-Star reliever Matt Strahm (rhp) was traded to the Royals for reliever Jonathan Bowlan (rhp). When Strahm was good for the Phillies, he was really good, but I have too many memories of him blowing leads in critical games, including last year's NLDS Game 1. In three seasons with the Phillies, he was 17-10 with a 2.71 ERA in 188 games and 212 2/3 innings pitched.
Bowlan pitched in 34 games last year for the Royals, earning a 3.86 ERA in 44 1/3 innings pitched. Similar to Keller, he had no baseball card appearances in 2025.
December 19 - Trade with Diamondbacks: After the Strahm deal, the Phillies acquired Kyle Backhus (lhp) from the Diamondbacks for minor leaguer Avery Owusu-Asiedu (of). Backhus made his big league debut in 2025, appearing in 32 games for Arizona and going 0-3 with a 4.62 ERA in 25 1/3 innings pitched. Backhus has had no major baseball card appearances yet, only appearing in four minor league team sets.
December 22 - Phils Add Pop: In what may be the last roster move of the year (?), the Phillies signed Zach Pop (rhp) to a major league deal. Pop spent most of 2025 in the minors, appearing in a combined five games in the majors with the Mariners and Mets. In parts of five big league seasons, he's 8-6 with a 4.88 ERA in 163 games, all in relief. Pop's last mainstream baseball card appearance was way back in 2022.
The's Phillies' 40-man roster now has 39 players on it.
There have been a few other minor league signings announced through unofficial channels, and I'll hold off on posting about those new potential Phillies until the team makes official announcements or reveals its list of spring training non-roster invitees.
1 comment:
There is a guy named Zach Pop - I never heard of him and I have the 2022 set.
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