The Phillies headed into the offseason with a clear need to bolster their bullpen, and the December trade of All-Star Matt Strahm only increased the urgency to add left-handed arms.
Philadelphia brought in former Cubs breakout pitcher Brad Keller to help set up closer Jhoan Duran, while also adding veteran relievers Jonathan Bowlan, Zach Pop, and Trevor Richards. The team added another experienced option on Thursday.
Matt Gelb of The Athletic reported that the Phillies re-signed left-hander on a league contract that includes an invitation to major league spring training.
Mayza first joined the Phillies after they claimed him off waivers from the Pirates on Aug. 31. He appeared in eight games down the stretch, giving up four earned runs over 7 1/3 innings. Although Philadelphia carried him on its roster for the NL Division Series, he never saw game action.
MassLive’s Chris Cotillo reported Thursday that the Red Sox also showed interest in Mayza before he ultimately decided to re-sign with the Phillies.
The left-hander spent the first six and a half seasons of his big-league career with the Blue Jays and was dominant from 2021 through 2023, particularly in the final year of that stretch. In 2023, Mayza posted a 1.53 ERA across 53 1/3 innings, making him arguably Toronto’s most valuable reliever as the team secured a wild-card spot.
Everything unraveled in 2024, though, as Mayza struggled badly enough to be released in July. Still, the season ended on a better note for him, as he moved from the last-place Blue Jays to the Yankees, contributing in a limited role during New York’s run to an American League pennant.
