"Our bullpen during the postseason imploded" - Phillies president Dave Dombrowski reflects on how relievers cost his club in the postseason

During the 2024 season, the Philadelphia Phillies' bullpen was reliable. Although far from an elite relief corps, the bullpen kept things moving and allowed for the club's dynamic offense to do their jobs.

However, that paradigm shifted dramatically in the postseason. Despite entering October with the second-most wins in the NL, and a strong favorite to win, Philly crashed out of the postseason in the NLDS. The president of baseball operations has come out with an explanation.

"You see the Dodgers the last couple years, they got knocked out in the first round and all of a sudden they're the World Series champions...hopefully we can do the same thing." - @Phillies President of Baseball Ops Dave Dombrowski" - MLB Network

On an appearance with MLB Network, Phillies PBO Dave Dombrowski analyzed his club's postseason elimination at the hands of the New York Mets. According to Dombrowski:

"Our bullpen during the postseason imploded, and it was really a good bullpen for us all season long."

Indeed, relief pitching was a major point of failure for the Philadelphia Phillies in the 2024 playoffs. Of all twelve clubs that qualified, Philly's 11.37 bullpen earned runs figure was nearly six runs higher than that of the Milwaukee Brewers - who ranked 11th.

For the Philadelphia Phillies, relief pitchers who performed all season failed to show up at all in the postseason. Matt Strahm, who posted a 1.87 ERA in 66 regular season games, allowed four earned runs in two innings in the postseason. Jeff Hoffman, whose 89 strikeouts led the Phillies' bullpen, was charged with an ERA of 40.50 in the postseason after coughing up six earned runs in 1.1 innings.

"Brandon Nimmo, go-ahead RBI single. The Mets are inevitable. Mets 2, Phillies 1, top eight." - Anthony DiComo

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Philadelphia Phillies relievers realize that they let the side down

After a stellar season that saw the Phillies rank second only to the Los Angeles Dodgers in wins, the bullpen faded in October, and took the team down with it. After giving up a pair of earned runs in both Games 1 and 2 - marking the only time he gave up runs in successive games all year - Matt Strahm told MLB.com:

"I mean, I've been a reliever a long time, you've got to forget them as quickly as you can and move on."

For all the offense Philly has been able to muster, relief pitching remains an Achillies Heel. Until it can be sorted, advancing in the postseason will present a bigger challenge than it needs to be for Dombrowski and the Philadelphia Phillies.