Evan Phillips DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Los Angeles Dodgers right-handers Tony Gonsolin (back) and Evan Phillips (shoulder) are both scheduled to begin minor-league rehab assignments with Triple-A Oklahoma City on Thursday. Gonsolin is scheduled to start on Thursday and pitch around two innings. Gonsolin is recovering from a back injury that he suffered in early March while lifting weights, but both he and Phillips are getting close to rejoining the big-league roster in the month of April. Given L.A.'s stacked starting rotation, though, it's unclear if the 30-year-old Gonsolin will serve as a starter or long reliever for the Blue when he's cleared to be activated. Phillips, 30, didn't pitch at all during spring training due to a right-shoulder injury that had been bothering him since the World Series last October. He led the Dodgers in saves the last two years but has lost considerable fantasy value after the team added Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates to the bullpen in the offseason.

Los Angeles Dodgers right-handed relief pitcher Evan Phillips (shoulder) will throw his first bullpen session of the spring on Friday, according to the Orange County Register's Bill Plunkett. Phillips knows that he will not be ready for Opening Day in the two-game series against the Chicago Cubs in Tokyo, Japan, but he is progressing well in his recovery from a subscapularis tear and isn't far behind schedule. The 30-year-old was unavailable for the World Series last fall against the New York Yankees, but he might be able to make his 2025 debut in early April. After the offseason signings of Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates, Phillips will be pushed further down the bullpen pecking order whenever he returns and probably won't be an option for many saves, if any at all. Phillips also missed time with a hamstring injury in 2024 and lost the closing gig upon his return.

According to Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register, Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Evan Phillips (shoulder) is still recovering from the injury that kept him sidelined during the World Series and is unlikely to be ready for Opening Day. Plunkett noted that the 30-year-old suffered a tear in the back of his rotator cuff. He received a platelet-rich plasma injection in November and only began doing baseball activities in January. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status during spring training, but it seems unlikely that he will be ready for Opening Day. Last season, Phillips posted a 3.62 ERA with a 1.19 WHIP across 54 2/3 innings. He tallied 63 punchouts and 18 saves. He generated a strong 32.7 percent hard-hit rate with a solid 3.29 xERA. While Phillips is sidelined, fantasy managers should expect Tanner Scott to see most of the save opportunities, with Kirby Yates, Blake Treinen, and Alex Vesia also seeing high-leverage work.