{"id":107796,"date":"2025-09-29T01:51:24","date_gmt":"2025-09-29T05:51:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/?p=107796"},"modified":"2025-09-29T01:52:18","modified_gmt":"2025-09-29T05:52:18","slug":"reds-connor-phillips-potential-postseason-weapon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2025\/09\/29\/reds-connor-phillips-potential-postseason-weapon\/","title":{"rendered":"Rookie Pitcher Looking to Be Reds&#8217; Postseason Weapon"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>For the first time since 2020, the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2025\/09\/23\/most-important-stretch-reds\/\" target=\"_self\">Cincinnati Reds<\/a> are heading to the postseason as they will lace up the cleats down in Los Angeles to take on the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2025\/09\/26\/dodgers-brock-stewart-shoulder-surgery-out-for-season\/\" target=\"_self\">Dodgers<\/a> in a best-of-three Wild Card Series.<\/p>\n<p>Along with the big names like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/d\/delacel01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2025-09-29_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Elly De La Cruz<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2025\/09\/09\/reds-hunter-greenes-dominance-bcoming-future-ace\/\" target=\"_self\">Hunter Greene<\/a> being obvious keys to taking down the mighty Dodgers, reliever <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/search\/search.fcgi?pid=phillco01,philli001con,philli002con&amp;search=Connor+Phillips&amp;utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2025-09-29_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Connor Phillips<\/a> may be one of their most important players in this upcoming series.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_107818\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-107818\" style=\"width: 570px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-107818\" src=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/USATSI_27153945_168400885_lowres-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"570\" height=\"380\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/USATSI_27153945_168400885_lowres-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/USATSI_27153945_168400885_lowres-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/USATSI_27153945_168400885_lowres-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/USATSI_27153945_168400885_lowres-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/USATSI_27153945_168400885_lowres-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/USATSI_27153945_168400885_lowres-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/USATSI_27153945_168400885_lowres-1200x800.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 570px) 100vw, 570px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-107818\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Cincinnati Reds pitcher Connor Phillips (34) delivers a pitch in the sixth inning of a MLB game between the Cincinnati Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates, Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025, at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati. Pirates won 4-2. Credit: \u00a9 Frank Bowen IV\/The Enquirer \/ USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>Connor Phillips Could Be Secret Weapon for Reds This Postseason<\/h2>\n<h3>Phillips\u2019 Top Prospect Pedigree<\/h3>\n<p>Phillips was taken by the Seattle Mariners in the 2020 MLB Draft and made his way over to Cincinnati as part of the trade involving <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/search\/search.fcgi?pid=castilu02,castilu01,castilu03,castil027lui,castil026lui,castil018lui,castil025lui&amp;search=Luis+Castillo&amp;utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2025-09-29_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Luis Castillo<\/a> for <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2025\/04\/28\/noelvi-martes-hot-start-hopeful-comeback-season\/\" target=\"_self\">Noelvi Marte<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/search\/search.fcgi?pid=arroyo001edw,arroyo000edw&amp;search=Edwin+Arroyo&amp;utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2025-09-29_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Edwin Arroyo<\/a> back in 2022.<\/p>\n<p>The 24-year-old right-hander just concluded the 2025 season with a scoreless inning in the postseason clinching game 162 in <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2025\/09\/01\/early-look-milwaukee-brewers-2026-schedule\/\" target=\"_self\">Milwaukee<\/a>, bringing his season ERA down to 2.88 in 24 innings pitched.<\/p>\n<p>Phillips is currently the Reds&#8217; number four overall prospect. With a beautiful 2025 season, he is all but guaranteed to break camp with the big league ball club in 2026 as a part of the bullpen, or perhaps even the rotation as well.<\/p>\n<p>For now, however, he will enter the 2025 postseason as one of Cincinnati\u2019s most important pieces.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Connor Phillips: DAWG <a  href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/Dc516zrZ0t\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/Dc516zrZ0t<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Reds\/status\/1971755327587864753?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">September 27, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h3>A Rollercoaster 2025 Season<\/h3>\n<p>It would have been utterly insane to pencil in Phillips for late-inning postseason opportunities back in the early months of the season. After posting an 8.01 ERA in 19 starts for Triple-A Louisville in 2024, Phillips entered the 2025 season with plenty to prove. What once looked like elite front-of-the-line rotation potential was sent all the way down to the Arizona Fall League to focus on retooling his entire approach.<\/p>\n<p>The Reds converted him to a reliever, at least for the time being, and he fixed his command issues. Perhaps the biggest sign of his lack of command was his spot start in game 161 of the 2023 season, where he threw 12 pitches, all balls, and was subsequently pulled from the game.<\/p>\n<p>The Reds made Phillips lower his shoulder while heading toward the plate, and everything clicked for him. The lively fastball was even better in the bullpen, sitting comfortably in the high 90s and touching triple digits, paired with his low to mid-80s sweeper.<\/p>\n<p>In 2025, here are Phillips\u2019 numbers across all levels:<\/p>\n<p>2.45 ERA \u2014 Single-A<\/p>\n<p>2.88 ERA \u2014 Triple-A<\/p>\n<p>2.88 ERA \u2014 MLB<\/p>\n<h3>Phillips\u2019 Role in the Postseason<\/h3>\n<p>It is rare to see someone who made appearances in Single-A become a legitimate postseason weapon for the big league team, but that\u2019s what Connor Phillips can expect in this upcoming week.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/p\/paganem01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2025-09-29_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Emilio Pagan<\/a> has been Cincinnati\u2019s closer as he finished off a fantastic season, recording 32 saves thanks to a 2.88 ERA in 68 2\/3 innings. Heading into the season, it was unclear who would take the closer role. It looked like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/managers\/francte01.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Terry Francona<\/a> may have to simply ride the hot hand by inserting a rotation of relievers to close out games.<\/p>\n<p>This closer situation reared its ugly head early, as the Reds&#8217; season started with a 2-1 lead heading into the ninth inning on Opening Day against the San Francisco Giants, and right-hander <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/g\/gibauia01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2025-09-29_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Ian Gibaut<\/a> was called upon to close things in the ninth. What followed was a blown save, and things were looking bleak for the bullpen already.<\/p>\n<p>With Pagan stepping up, that allowed <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/s\/santito01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2025-09-29_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Tony Santillan<\/a> to serve as an occasional closer and setup man. Santillan himself had a fantastic season too, with a 2.44 ERA in 73 2\/3 innings.<\/p>\n<h3>Reds\u2019 Postseason Bullpen Roles<\/h3>\n<p>These two will have the eighth and ninth innings on lock, with none other than Connor Phillips taking the seventh inning. If it wasn\u2019t for Phillips stepping up, the Reds may have had to do the hot hand situation again, rotating between <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/search\/search.fcgi?pid=martini01,martin027nic&amp;search=Nick+Martinez&amp;utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2025-09-29_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Nick Martinez<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/b\/barlosc01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2025-09-29_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Scott Barlow<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/a\/ashcrgr01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=lastwordonsports.com&amp;utm_campaign=2025-09-29_br\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Graham Ashcraft<\/a>. While all are solid options, they aren\u2019t exactly what you want in a late-inning postseason opportunity.<\/p>\n<p>With rookie top prospect <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2023\/07\/28\/chase-burns-draft-profile\/\" target=\"_self\">Chase Burns<\/a>\u00a0relegated to the bullpen momentarily and looking sharp in that role in September, the Reds&#8217; bullpen is now looking stronger than ever. The four-headed monster of Burns in the sixth, Phillips in the seventh, Santillan in the eighth, and Pagan in the ninth is a pretty sight to see for Reds fans heading into their first taste of postseason baseball since 2020.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Main Photo Credit: \u00a9 Katie Stratman-Imagn Images<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>For the first time since 2020, the Cincinnati Reds are heading to the postseason as they will lace up the cleats down in Los Angeles to take on the Dodgers in a best-of-three Wild Card Series. Along with the big names like Elly De La Cruz and Hunter Greene being obvious keys to taking down [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5447,"featured_media":107817,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[28,1071,35],"tags":[4938,29037,2307,5869,5643,6466,462,4873],"class_list":["post-107796","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-reds","category-mlb","category-news","tag-chase-burns","tag-connor-phillips","tag-emilio-pagan","tag-graham-ashcraft","tag-nick-martinez","tag-scott-barlow","tag-terry-francona","tag-tony-santillan"],"modified_by":"Lewis Masella, Site Editor","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/107796","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5447"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=107796"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/107796\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":107819,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/107796\/revisions\/107819"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/107817"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=107796"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=107796"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=107796"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}