Phillies roster adjustment today, Following an eventful stretch that dominated headlines just a week ago—one that reached its peak during a particularly active Friday—the Philadelphia Phillies shifted into a noticeably calmer rhythm over the weekend. Transactions slowed, speculation cooled, and for a brief moment it appeared as though the club might be content to let its roster settle.
That pause, however, didn’t last long. By Monday afternoon, the Phillies were once again making news, adding another name to their offseason ledger with a bullpen-focused move. Still, this latest addition is not the kind that sends shockwaves through the fan base or dramatically alters expectations for the season ahead.
Late Monday, the Phillies confirmed that they had reached an agreement on a 2026 contract with right-handed reliever Zach Pop, a pitcher whose most recent major-league experience came with the division-rival New York Mets. While any roster addition can technically be framed as progress, this particular signing lands firmly in the category of low-risk, low-profile depth rather than a meaningful upgrade. For fans still buzzing from last week’s flurry of activity, the move feels more procedural than celebratory.
Context matters here. Just days earlier, the Phillies roster adjustment today among the more active teams in baseball, making a series of moves that suggested both urgency and ambition. The signings of Adolis García and Brad Keller injected energy into the offseason narrative, while the decision to trade Matt Strahm added an element of surprise and sparked real debate about the club’s evolving strategy. Against that backdrop, the addition of Pop feels intentionally modest—a reminder that not every transaction is designed to make headlines.
MORE: Athletics roster move today, add another superstar to bullpen
From a practical standpoint, this signing appears to be about organizational depth more than immediate impact. Pop is a known quantity: a reliever who has bounced around the league, logging innings when needed but rarely commanding a central role in a bullpen hierarchy. His recent tenure with the Mets did little to elevate his profile, and there’s no clear indication that he projects as anything more than a back-end option or a potential Triple-A shuttle arm. That reality explains why the announcement landed with a muted response rather than a wave of excitement.
For the Phillies, though, the logic is straightforward. Offseasons are not built solely on splashy moves; they are also constructed through smaller decisions that protect against attrition, injuries, and underperformance. Bullpen arms, in particular, are notoriously volatile, and teams often stockpile relievers knowing that several will inevitably fall by the wayside. In that sense, Pop represents a lottery ticket—one that costs relatively little and could, in a best-case scenario, provide functional innings if circumstances demand it.
MORE: Cardinals bullpen depth update in latest Willson Contreras trade
Still, it’s hard to ignore how sharply this move contrasts with last week’s activity. The additions of García and Keller carried clear narratives about upside, fit, and competitive intent. The Strahm trade, meanwhile, forced fans to grapple with difficult questions about value, timing, and roster balance. Pop’s signing does none of that. It doesn’t reshape the bullpen picture, challenge existing roles, or meaningfully raise the team’s ceiling. Instead, it quietly fills a line on the depth chart and allows the front office to check another box.
That doesn’t mean the signing is pointless—just that its purpose is narrow. For a team with postseason aspirations, not every move needs to be bold. Sometimes the goal is simply to ensure that the organization isn’t caught short if injuries pile up or if younger arms need more time to develop. In those scenarios, having a veteran reliever under contract can be the difference between scrambling midseason and calmly making an internal adjustment.
For fans, however, expectations have been shaped by momentum. After such an active and intriguing stretch, it’s natural to hope that each subsequent announcement will carry similar weight. When that doesn’t happen, disappointment follows—even if the move itself is defensible. The Pop signing serves as a reminder that offseasons ebb and flow. Bursts of activity are often followed by quieter periods, and not every transaction is designed to excite.
MORE: Braves bullpen depth explained after marquee Ian Hamilton’s move
In the end, this move feels less like a statement and more like housekeeping. The Phillies roster adjustment today addressed a need in the most understated way possible, adding a reliever with recent major-league experience but limited fanfare. Compared to the buzz generated just days earlier, it’s a comedown—but also a realistic snapshot of how roster construction actually works. Big moves grab attention; small ones keep the machine running. This one firmly belongs in the latter category.
Phillies sign reliever Zach Pop who last appeared in MLB with the Mets
Since being selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the seventh round of the 2017 MLB Draft, right-handed reliever Zach Pop has taken a winding and often turbulent path through professional baseball. Now 29 years old, Pop’s career has been defined less by stability and more by constant movement, as he has cycled through multiple organizations while searching for a consistent foothold at the major league level. Along the way, he has worn the uniforms of the Miami Marlins, the Toronto Blue Jays, the Seattle Mariners, and the New York Mets, with varying degrees of success.
MORE: Mets bullpen roster move explained, why Edwin Diaz’s trade
Pop opened the 2025 season with Toronto, hoping to carve out a role in the Blue Jays’ bullpen. Instead, his time there was short-lived. After struggling to meet expectations, he was designated for assignment, a move that effectively removed him from the club’s immediate plans. Rather than accept an outright assignment, Pop elected free agency, opting to seek a fresh opportunity elsewhere.
That chance came with Seattle, a team that has often taken low-risk flyers on power-armed relievers. Unfortunately for Pop, the results were disastrous. In just 5 1/3 innings with the Mariners, he was tagged for a staggering 13.50 ERA, a small but damaging sample that quickly soured the organization’s confidence in him.
After his brief and rough stint in Seattle, Pop landed with the Mets, joining an organization known for churning through bullpen arms in search of workable depth. His time in New York, however, was even more fleeting. Pop made only one major league appearance for the Mets, and it went poorly. On July 6, he surrendered three runs on five hits while recording just four outs, laboring through 1 1/3 innings out of the bullpen. The outing proved costly. Shortly thereafter, the Mets designated him for assignment, and after he cleared waivers, Pop once again found himself back on the open market.
Still determined to extend his career, Pop signed a minor league deal with the Chicago Cubs. That stop, however, failed to provide the rebound he was seeking. Assigned to Triple-A, Pop struggled to miss bats or limit damage, posting a 5.59 ERA across 9 2/3 innings. Without a strong performance to force his way back into big-league consideration, his time in the Cubs organization quietly fizzled out, leaving his professional future uncertain once again.
MORE: mariners bullpen adjustment explained ‘stunning roster move’
To understand why teams continue to take chances on Pop, it helps to look back at the earlier stages of his career. He made his major league debut with Miami in 2021 and delivered a respectable first impression, logging 54 1/3 innings with a 4.12 ERA. The following year represented the high point of his career to date. In 2022, splitting time between the Marlins and the Blue Jays, Pop turned in a strong 2.77 ERA over 39 innings, showing the kind of effectiveness that hinted at long-term bullpen potential. That season remains the benchmark against which his subsequent struggles are measured.
Overall, Pop’s career numbers paint the picture of a pitcher who has hovered on the margins of reliability. Across 162 1/3 major league innings, he owns a 4.88 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP, with 126 strikeouts to his name. Those totals reflect both his durability—he has managed to accumulate innings despite frequent moves—and his inconsistency, as extended stretches of effectiveness have been rare.
MORE: 3 former NY Mets prospects had productive seasons in the big leagues
From a pure tools standpoint, Pop still has traits that intrigue evaluators. His primary offering is a heavy sinker that averages 96.4 mph, a pitch designed to induce weak contact and keep the ball on the ground. He complements it with a mid-80s slider and a cutter that sits around 93 mph, giving him multiple looks to attack hitters. While none of these pitches grade as truly elite, the overall arsenal is serviceable, particularly when his command is under control.
Statistically, there are a few bright spots that suggest Pop is not without value. During the most recent season, he posted a solid 5.1 percent walk rate, indicating an ability to limit free passes. Even more encouraging is his 54.5 percent ground-ball rate, a mark that aligns well with his sinker-heavy approach and hints at an underlying skill that could play in the right environment. Still, those positives have often been overshadowed by an inability to consistently miss bats or avoid hard contact when hitters elevate the ball.
Looking ahead, Pop enters the next phase of his career facing a familiar uphill battle. He projects as a candidate to compete for a bullpen role during spring training, where his power arm and ground-ball tendencies could earn him consideration. The margin for error, however, is razor-thin.
With no minor league options remaining, Pop must either secure a spot on an opening-day roster or risk being designated for assignment yet again. For a pitcher who has already experienced the instability of frequent roster moves, this reality underscores just how pivotal the upcoming opportunity will be in determining whether he can finally establish some permanence at the major league level.
Be the first to comment