PHILADELPHIA — Since the news of Jose Alvarado‘s 80-game suspension, the Phillies’ bullpen has been working to put back the pieces of their puzzle.
Rob Thomson lost his most trustworthy arm, and the lack of organizational depth in the left-handed reliever department became a little more glaring. Only 2 members of the active roster, Matt Strahm and Tanner Banks, were remaining. On Thursday, the team traded cash considerations to the Toronto Blue Jays to acquire Josh Walker, a reliever with some big league experience. The Phillies moved Walker to Triple-A, where he becomes the only lefty in the IronPigs bullpen.
Phillies make moves
On Sunday, the Phillies shook up their bullpen even more. (For a more in-depth look at the moves, check out Cory Nidoh’s breakdown of the club’s transactions.) They designated Jose Ruiz for assignment, which means any club can claim him over the next 7 days. If another team does not take him, the Phillies can choose to send him to Triple-A. However, Ruiz can reject the assignment and elect to become a free agent. His 8.16 earned run average in 16 games highlighted a poor performance in 2025.
In Ruiz’s place, the team promoted RHP Seth Johnson back to the Phillies. The team acquired Johnson at the 2024 Trade Deadline in a deal with the Baltimore Orioles. Johnson was then a starter who made his debut last season with the Phillies. He has since transitioned to the bullpen for the IronPigs and has started to see his velocity spike.
The Phillies also announced that Taijaun Walker would be moved back to the bullpen permanently. Walker made his last start Friday against the Milwaukee Brewers, where he allowed 4 earned runs in 4 innings of work. Walker’s 3.53 earned run average between starting and relieving has been a welcome sight for the team after his struggles last season.
Despite the shakeup, the fact remains that the Phillies still need another left-handed arm in their bullpen. Luckily for them, a new option has recently emerged.
Joe Mantiply
In the 28th round of the 2012 Major League Baseball draft, the Phillies selected Joe Mantiply. Mantiply, a left-handed pitcher, returned to college at the University of Virginia rather than sign with the Phillies at that time. He would later be drafted by the Detroit Tigers and begin his professional career.
Entering his 8th big league season in 2025, Mantiply has a career ERA of 4.54, with 194 strikeouts in 216 innings pitched. He made his first All-Star team in 2022 and pitched for the Diamondbacks in the 2023 postseason.
Mantiply was designated for assignment on Saturday by Arizona after allowing earned runs in his last 6 straight appearances. He has watched his ERA bloom to 15.83 to start the season, and the Diamondbacks felt like they were comfortable losing him to waivers.
While the numbers do not scream “we need this player”, the Phillies are in a situation where they can take all the help they can get. With a limited amount of left-handed options, adding Mantiply would be a low-risk, high-reward type of move. He does not have to pitch in any high-leverage spots and would likely replace either Johnson or Carlos Hernandez on the roster.
It was not that long ago that Jordan Romano had an ERA in the 15s as well. A fresh start and support from the Phillies’ pitching staff, which is arguably one of the best in baseball, could help reboot Mantiply’s career.
Mandatory Credit: John Hefti-Imagn Images
