In the wake of José Alvarado’s 80-game suspension for a PED violation, the Philadelphia Phillies have launched a search for bullpen reinforcements. Their first move came quickly, as they signed veteran right-handed reliever Lucas Sims to a minor league deal, according to Matt Gelb of The Athletic.
While Phillies fans are eager to see the team acquire a top-tier bullpen arm via trade, such moves are unlikely this early in the season, with the trade deadline still over two months away. Instead, the Phillies are expected to focus on smaller, depth-building additions for now, per MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki.
Sims, 31, was a first-round draft pick by the Atlanta Braves in 2012 and once ranked as their top prospect. After some success with the Cincinnati Reds most notably in 2023 when he posted a 3.10 ERA and 76 strikeouts in 67 games—he struggled this year with the Washington Nationals. Sims was released on May 10 after putting up a 13.86 ERA and 2.27 WHIP across 12 1/3 innings, marred by control issues including 12 walks and seven wild pitches.
Since his MLB debut in 2017, Sims has a career 4.86 ERA and a solid 26.5% strikeout rate, though walks have been a persistent problem with a 12.5% walk rate.
Following his release, Sims will now report to the Phillies’ pitching facility in Florida. Notably, he has a past connection with Phillies pitching coach Caleb Cotham, as the two were with the Reds during the 2019 and 2020 seasons. Sims features a 95 mph fastball and an 85 mph sweeper, along with a mix of breaking pitches including a curveball, sinker, cutter, and slider.
While Sims may or may not pan out, the signing reflects president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski’s urgency to patch the bullpen, and more moves are likely on the horizon as the Phillies continue to explore all options.
