Braves sign right-hander Evan Phillips to a 3-year, $35 million deal

The Atlanta Braves have signed right-hander Evan Phillips to a three-year, $35 million contract, the team announced. The deal runs through the 2029 season, with annual salaries of $11 million in 2027 and 2028, and $13 million in 2029.

Phillips is 32 and returns to the organization that drafted him. He was selected by the Braves in the 17th round of the 2015 MLB Draft and later debuted in Atlanta in 2018, appearing in four games before a multi-player trade moved him to the Baltimore Orioles in a deal that brought Kevin Gausman to the Braves.

After Baltimore released him in August 2021, Phillips had brief time in the Tampa Bay Rays’ system before joining the Los Angeles Dodgers. With Los Angeles, he developed into a major relief option, including during the postseason, when the Braves noted he has pitched 18 1/3 career playoff innings without allowing a run.

The Braves’ announcement also addressed his recent workload and form after Tommy John surgery. Phillips missed about 13 months following surgery in June 2025, returned to the majors in July 2026, and then recorded a 3.46 ERA in 26 innings, striking out 33 batters and earning one save for the Dodgers.