In recent years, the Los Angeles Dodgers<\/a> have found some castoffs with potential, worked them through their system, and turned them into key players. Two of the most successful examples are Max Muncy<\/a><\/strong> and the now-departed Justin Turner<\/a><\/strong>. Both made two All-Star teams and were on the 2020 World Series Champion squad. In addition, Turner notched 2017 NLCS MVP honors for leading the Dodgers to their first NL Pennant in 29 years. In 2022, another player rescued from the scrap heap gained a key role on the team \u2014 reliever Evan Phillips<\/a><\/strong>. His success continued into 2023, leading manager Dave Roberts<\/a><\/strong> to name him the full-time closer.<\/p>\n Evan Phillips began his professional baseball journey when the Atlanta Braves<\/a> selected him in the 17th round of the 2015 draft. A product of the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, Phillips spent parts of four seasons in the minors before making his major league debut with the Braves on July 3, 2018. It was 2 1\/3 innings of mop-up duty against the New York Yankees<\/a>. Phillips held them scoreless until the second-to-last batter he faced, Giancarlo Stanton<\/a><\/strong>, belted a two-run homer down the right-field line. His second game was also mop-up duty, this time against the eventual NL runners up, the Milwaukee Brewers<\/a>. Two more homers \u2014 a solo shot by Eric Thames<\/a><\/strong> and a three-run clout by Jesus Aguilar<\/a><\/strong> \u2014 spoiled his 1 1\/3-inning outing. His next two appearances were scoreless, but in those four appearances, he coughed up six earned runs in 6 1\/3 innings.<\/p>\n His last appearance as a Brave came on July 26, because he ended up being part of a Deadline Day deal. The Braves sent him to the team he grew up rooting for \u2014 the Baltimore Orioles<\/a> \u2014 along with three other prospects in exchange for Kevin Gausman<\/a><\/strong> and Darren O\u2019Day<\/a><\/strong>. He made 44 appearances for the Orioles between 2018 and 2020, allowing 39 earned runs in 47 2\/3 innings. His ERA was 7.36, while his WHIP was 1.867. (Keep in mind that the league averages for WHIP every year are in the 1.300s.) He never pitched for the Orioles again, spending 2021 in Triple-A before the Orioles released him on August 2.<\/p>\n Two days later, Phillips signed with the Tampa Bay Rays<\/a>. He finished up a blowout victory for the Rays on August 13 against the Minnesota Twins<\/a>. He allowed one run (a homer) on three hits across three innings. Because he pitched the final three innings of a victory, he earned his first career save in that game.<\/p>\n But that was his only appearance with the Rays. The Rays designated him for assignment the very next day, August 14. Two days later, the Dodgers claimed him off waivers. He made seven appearances for the Dodgers down the stretch. In the postseason, he pitched two games for the Dodgers in the NLCS against the eventual-champion Braves.<\/p>\n In 2022, with closer Kenley Jansen<\/a><\/strong> gone, Phillips was among the pool of players manager Dave Roberts used for late-inning matchups. Phillips took advantage of the opportunities the Dodgers gave him, making a total of 64 appearances. Of those 64 appearances, 57 were scoreless, an NL-leading 89.1% Scoreless Outing Percentage (minimum 30 appearances). In 2023, Phillips once again began the season as one of the \u201chigh-leverage\u201d relievers as Roberts specifically would not name a \u201ccloser.\u201d His usage varied, at least as far as which inning he entered, through April and May.<\/p>\n Roberts told Sport Relay in an August 9 interview in Phoenix that what stands out to him about Phillips is his professionalism. He specifically noted Phillips\u2019 preparation, care for his teammates, and \u201cwillingness to pitch in whatever role we ask.\u201d That role changed in mid-June, when Phillips became the closer \u2014 at least by practice \u2014 before Roberts finally acknowledged his capturing of that role on July 29.<\/p>\n To Phillips, earning enough trust from Roberts to become the closer \u2014 \u201cwhere the last three outs of the game mean winning the game” \u2014 brought a change in mindset. But it also meant continuing to do what got him there. When he came to the Dodgers, \u201cearly on\u201d he learned their philosophy that \u201cevery single out is important.\u201d He explained on August 9, \u201cIf our goal is to ultimately win the World Series, piling up wins, piling up outs out of the bullpen is very important.\u201d<\/p>\n Being on the mound when the game is on the line gives him the chance to pile up the outs and end the game, something he said \u201cfeels really good.\u201d But outside of that feeling as well as the feelings of trust from the managers, coaches, and teammates, he tries not to add to it. \u201cAt the end of the day,\u201d he said, \u201cI just gotta do my job. I gotta trust what I am and trust who I am as a pitcher to get those three outs at the end of the game.\u201d<\/p>\n Trusting who he is \u2014 staying within himself and not trying to do too much \u2014 is \u201cdefinitely a challenge,\u201d Phillips said. \u201cIf you look at some of my worst games of the season, it’s from me doing too much\u201d and \u201ctrying to be more than who I am.\u201d Trying not to overdo it is a daily challenge. It\u2019s a hard thing to find that \u201cconsistent faith in yourself to go out there and be yourself,\u201d he confessed. But he tries to eliminate all the \u201coutside noise\u201d by treating each pitch and each batter individually.<\/p>\n The night before this interview, Phillips entered the game with a 5\u20132 lead in the ninth. With one out and Geraldo Perdomo<\/a><\/strong> on first, Diamondbacks pinch-hitter Alek Thomas<\/a><\/strong> ripped a triple to the right-field corner and scored on a single from Ketel Marte<\/a><\/strong>. In a span of four pitches, Phillips went from having a three-run lead to having a one-run lead with the tying run on first and the ever-dangerous Corbin Carroll<\/a><\/strong> representing the winning run at bat. Phillips called that situation a \u201cchallenging moment\u201d but also remembered that his job was to do his best to finish the game. \u201cHaving that pitch-by-pitch process allowed me to do so,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Carroll ultimately hit a slow chopper near the first-base line. Thinking it was foul, he didn\u2019t run initially. It was only when first baseman Freddie Freeman<\/a><\/strong> alertly snatched the ball while it was still fair that Carroll tried to run it out, but before he even made it halfway down the line, the Dodgers had turned a game-ending 3\u20136\u20133 double play.<\/p>\n Phillips has had help at every turn since joining the Dodgers. On the Carroll play, he had help from dependable and alert defense. \u201cEveryone talks about our hitters and our lineup,\u201d Phillips smiled. \u201cBut to have the defensive versatility that we do \u2014 Gold Glove at first base, plenty of gold around the field\u2026 Having those guys that we can rely on to make those plays for us when we need them? You can\u2019t beat that.\u201d<\/p>\n His defense gives him help while he\u2019s on the mound. But when it comes to his development as a pitcher, it has come from his manager, the coaching staff, and his teammates.<\/p>\n \u201cAll of our pitching guys, even Doc, my bullpen guys, my teammates. I think we try to lift each other up. We try to support each other the best we can. And I was actually just having a conversation with one of our other (relievers), Alex Vesia<\/a><\/strong>, about just how valuable every single out is out of the bullpen. With this team, with this lineup, our guys are able to score at any given moment. So if we’re losing and we seemingly are out of the game, if we can collect those outs out of the bullpen and give our guys a chance at the plate, I think it’s hugely important.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd on the flip side of things, if we have a lead, those outs should be just as important. I’m sure those feel a bit more important. But I think it can be easy sometimes to let off the gas when you have a bigger lead or have a deficit. So for us as a bullpen, collectively, piling up those outs and trying to get wins is hugely important. And then our staff, (pitching coach) Mark Prior<\/a><\/strong> and (bench coach) Danny Lehmann do a lot on the game-planning side. Bullpen coach Josh Bard<\/a><\/strong> and assistant pitching coach Connor McGuiness do a tremendous job with giving us every single tool to believe in ourselves each day. They put in a ton of hours and a ton of work for us to give us a recipe for success. And simply put, it’s our job to execute at the end of the day.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\nThe Journey Begins<\/h3>\n
Evan Phillips Finds a Home<\/h3>\n
The New Dodgers Closer<\/h3>\n
\u201cI Gotta Trust What I Am\u201d<\/h4>\n
\u201cA Challenging Moment\u201d<\/h4>\n
Help from Every Turn for Evan Phillips<\/h3>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s Our Job to Execute\u201d<\/h4>\n
Main Photo:<\/h4>\n