Can McFarlane establish himself as long-term setup option?

The right-hander from the U.S. Virgin Islands, the club’s fourth-round Draft pick out of the University of Miami in 2022, made his MLB debut on July 22 and eventually stuck around on the big league roster. He quickly became a high-leverage reliever for Philadelphia and handled the job well, becoming one of manager Don Mattingly’s most trusted arms in front of closer Jhoan Duran.

With Orion Kerkering coming off a tough 2026, Brad Keller tearing his UCL and José Alvarado hitting free agency, the Phillies could really use a big year from McFarlane in '27. Can he cement himself as a long-term option on the back end for a club in need of relief help?

Here’s what we learned from McFarlane's debut…