The Phillies are rolling into Washington with a series win over the Mets in their rearview, but the bullpen’s been running thin. That’s about to change.
According to MLB.com, lefty Kyle Backhus is expected to rejoin the team ahead of Monday’s game against the Nationals. He’s been out since April with left elbow inflammation, but after five rehab appearances, he’s finally cleared to come back.
Backhus has been around. The 28-year-old has a career 4.63 ERA in 42 big league appearances, splitting time between the Diamondbacks and the Phillies. In 2025 with Arizona, he posted a 4.62 ERA. This season in Philly, across 10 outings, he’s sitting at 4.66. Not exactly lights-out stuff. But adding a left-handed arm to the pen is never a bad thing, especially when you’re chasing a division title and your bullpen’s been leaning hard on the same three guys for weeks.
Where the Phillies Stand Right Now
Philadelphia is 42-35, which is good for second place in the NL East. But good isn’t great when you’re 6.5 games behind the Braves. Atlanta’s been rolling, and the Phillies need every edge they can get to close that gap before the All-Star break.
The Nationals have been better than anyone expected this year. That four-game set in D.C. is going to be a grind. It’s not the same Nationals team that got pushed around last season. They’re scrappy, they’ve got young arms that can keep a lineup off balance, and they’re playing with absolutely zero pressure.
But the Phillies have momentum. Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber are doing their thing. The offense is producing. If Backhus can give them a few clean innings out of the pen and maybe soak up some middle-relief work, that’s a win. The Phillies don’t need him to be an All-Star. They just need him to be solid.
Monday’s first pitch is scheduled for 6:45 PM EST. Rob Thomson will have to make a corresponding roster move to activate Backhus, but the team hasn’t announced that yet.
This is the kind of series that can either build real momentum or expose a flaw. The Phillies are betting Backhus helps tip it the right way.
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