MIAMI — Back at Phillies camp during spring training, Tyler Phillips wasn’t sure about his new role. A starter since he was drafted in 2015, the organization wanted him to transition into a reliever. He told then-teammate Michael Mercado about his hesitance.
Mercado couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He thought Phillips had the perfect attitude for the bullpen.
“Mike knows probably the best side of me: the crazy side,” Phillips said.
The Phillies decided they didn’t have a spot in their rotation for the right-hander, then decided they didn’t have a spot on the roster at all.