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Evan Phillips made his 2026 Dodgers debut Tuesday night against the Rockies and looked sharp, drawing praise as “really good” in his return from the 60-day injured list, per staff at DodgerBlue. The right-hander had been sidelined since the start of the season and was just reinstated from the IL earlier this week, but he wasted no time showing he’s ready to contribute out of the bullpen.

Phillips’ return has been one of the more anticipated developments of the Dodgers’ season. The 31-year-old closer had established himself as one of the best relievers in the National League during his time in Los Angeles, earning the full-time closer role in 2023 and posting dominant numbers that made him a cornerstone of the late-inning relief corps. His absence this year left a real hole in the back end of the bullpen — one the Dodgers have tried to patch together with a mix of options, none quite as reliable as Phillips at his best. He signed a multi-year extension with the club, a reflection of how highly the front office values his sweeper-heavy pitch mix and ability to get swings and misses in high-leverage spots.

The fact that Phillips came out and looked clean in his first game action is encouraging. Returning from an extended IL stint is never a guarantee — arms need time to find their rhythm, command can be inconsistent, and confidence in the stuff has to rebuild through real at-bats. That he was immediately effective suggests the rehab process went well and the Dodgers were patient enough to make sure he was truly ready before activating him. That’s the right approach with a pitcher this important to the postseason picture.

Tuesday’s game itself was a frustrating 4-3 loss to Colorado — the Dodgers blew a late lead, which only underscores how much they need Phillips back and fully operational. Shohei Ohtani hit his 300th career home run and Justin Wrobleski delivered another strong start, so the offensive and starting pitching pieces were there. The bullpen is where the game got away. Having Phillips available going forward should help stabilize those late-inning situations that have been shaky at times this season.

For our bullpen, this is the reinforcement we’ve been waiting on. Phillips at full strength changes the entire complexion of the relief corps — it shortens games, gives Dave Roberts a trusted arm for the seventh, eighth, or ninth inning, and takes pressure off the other guys who’ve been stretched thin. I’ll be watching his next few outings closely to see if the velocity and sweeper spin rates are where they need to be, but the early returns are exactly what we wanted to see. If Phillips can ramp up to regular usage over the next couple of weeks, this bullpen looks significantly different heading into the second half.

Source(s): Staff (DodgerBlue) | First reported: July 8, 2026 7:07 PM UTC

God Bless and Go Dodgers