Evan Phillips Bio
Evan John Phillips (born September 11, 1994) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is currently a free agent. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves, Baltimore Orioles, Tampa Bay Rays, and Los Angeles Dodgers. A reliever who has spent much of his major league career working in high-leverage situations, Phillips is best known for his long run as a late-inning arm in the Los Angeles bullpen.
Over the course of his MLB career, Phillips has compiled a 16–12 win–loss record, a 3.36 earned run average (ERA), 291 strikeouts, and 46 saves. He has also been a steady presence on the mound in October, logging important innings in multiple National League Championship Series and Division Series matchups for the Dodgers.
Early Life and Background
Evan John Phillips was born on September 11, 1994, and grew up in North Carolina. He attended Clayton High School in Clayton, North Carolina, where he played baseball and developed into a draft-eligible prospect. During his senior year, the Kansas City Royals selected him in the 33rd round of the 2012 Major League Baseball draft, though he did not sign with the club and instead chose to continue his baseball career at the collegiate level.
Phillips went on to attend the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, where he played college baseball for the UNC Wilmington Seahawks. Across 37 appearances on the mound for the program, he posted a 6–6 record with a 5.07 ERA, showing enough promise to keep him on professional scouting boards.
Path to Professional Baseball
Phillips returned to the draft in 2015, when the Atlanta Braves selected him in the 17th round of the Major League Baseball draft. He began his professional career in the Braves’ lower minors that summer, working primarily as a reliever for the Danville Braves and Rome Braves. In 29⅔ combined relief innings, he went 2–3 with a 2.73 ERA, an encouraging introduction to pro ball.
The following year, Phillips advanced through the system, pitching for the Carolina Mudcats and Mississippi Braves. He went a combined 8–4 with a 3.02 ERA in 43 relief appearances between the two clubs, then capped the season with an appearance in the Arizona Fall League for the Salt River Rafters. By 2017 he was reaching the upper levels of the Braves’ system, and in 2018 he opened the year at Triple-A Gwinnett before getting the call to the majors.
Evan Phillips Career
Early Career (2018)
Phillips made his major league debut on July 3, 2018, after being recalled by the Braves. In that first outing, he pitched 2⅓ innings, struck out Kyle Higashioka, and surrendered a home run. He went on to appear in four games for Atlanta that summer, allowing six runs across 6⅓ innings, while also pitching in 31 games for Triple-A Gwinnett, where he posted a 1.99 ERA in 40⅔ frames.
On July 31, 2018, the Braves traded Phillips, along with Jean Carlos Encarnacion, Brett Cumberland, Bruce Zimmermann, and international signing money, to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for Kevin Gausman and Darren O’Day. Phillips finished the year with five appearances for Baltimore, allowing 11 earned runs in 5⅓ innings, and eight outings for the Triple-A Norfolk Tides.
Baltimore Orioles (2018–2020)
Phillips split 2019 between Norfolk and Baltimore, making 25 appearances for the Orioles and 27 for the Tides. In the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, he posted a 5.02 ERA with 20 strikeouts across 14⅓ innings in 14 games, and on September 30 of that year he was outrighted off the 40-man roster while remaining with Norfolk.
He returned to the Orioles organization in 2021, making 18 appearances for the Tides with a 5.04 ERA and 35 strikeouts, before being released by Baltimore on August 2, 2021.
Tampa Bay Rays (2021)
On August 3, 2021, Phillips signed a minor league deal with the Tampa Bay Rays, and on August 12 he was called up to the majors. He made his Rays debut on August 13, pitching three innings and giving up one run while earning his first career save. The following day, he was designated for assignment.
Los Angeles Dodgers (2021–2025)
On August 16, 2021, the Los Angeles Dodgers claimed Phillips off waivers, and three days later he made his Dodgers debut, pitching 2⅓ innings in relief against the New York Mets and picking up his first win in Dodger blue. He closed out 2021 with seven appearances for Los Angeles, allowing four earned runs in 10⅓ innings, and added three scoreless frames in the 2021 NLCS against the Atlanta Braves, surrendering just one hit and two walks while striking out six.
The 2022 season was Phillips’ coming-out party: he appeared in a team-high 64 games, going 7–3 with a 1.14 ERA and 77 strikeouts, and added 3⅓ scoreless innings in the 2022 NLDS. In 2023 he took over as the Dodgers’ closer, recording 24 saves in 62 games with a 2.05 ERA and 66 strikeouts in 61⅓ innings, and he again delivered 2⅓ scoreless frames in the 2023 NLDS.
Dodgers Arbitration and Recent Seasons
Phillips and the Dodgers agreed to a $4 million salary for 2024 through salary arbitration. That year he pitched in 61 games, going 5–1 with a 3.43 ERA, 63 strikeouts, and 18 saves, and he added 6⅔ scoreless postseason innings with six strikeouts across the NLDS and NLCS. In the final game of the 2024 NLCS, however, he suffered an arm injury that caused him to be left off the 2024 World Series roster. Recovery from the injury forced him to miss the start of the 2025 season, and he appeared in seven scoreless outings for Los Angeles in 2025, with six strikeouts and one save across 5⅔ innings. On May 30, 2025, the team announced he would miss the remainder of the season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. On November 21, 2025, the Dodgers did not tender him a contract for 2026, making him a free agent.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Phillips’ career highlights are his first career save, recorded in his Tampa Bay Rays debut on August 13, 2021, and his first win as a Dodger three days later against the New York Mets. He went on to anchor the back end of the Los Angeles bullpen, leading the team in appearances in 2022 and serving as the primary closer in 2023 and 2024, with 46 career saves in total.
Evan Phillips Career Highlights
Phillips has built a résumé as a reliable late-inning reliever, highlighted by a team-leading 64 appearances in 2022, a 1.14 ERA that same year, and a 2023 season in which he locked down the closer role with 24 saves. In 2024 he added 18 more saves and pitched 6⅔ scoreless postseason innings for the Dodgers before an arm injury in the NLCS ended his year.
Other Performances
Beyond his Dodgers work, Phillips has logged big-league innings for the Atlanta Braves, Baltimore Orioles, and Tampa Bay Rays, and he has appeared in three straight NLCS for Los Angeles (2021, 2023, and 2024), giving him a long track record of October usage.
Evan Phillips Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Phillips’ father, Joe, played baseball at Anne Arundel Community College, giving the family a clear baseball background. Phillips is married to his wife, Elizabeth, and the couple welcomed their first child, a son, in April 2023.
2025 Season Performance
Phillips’ 2025 campaign was cut short by injury. After missing the start of the year while recovering from the arm issue suffered in the 2024 NLCS, he returned to the Dodgers’ bullpen and posted seven scoreless appearances, striking out six and recording one save in 5⅔ innings. On May 30, 2025, the club announced he would undergo Tommy John surgery and miss the remainder of the season. The Dodgers later declined to tender him a contract for 2026, making him a free agent heading into the next league year.
