The Philadelphia Phillies are in the final steps before announcing their Opening Day roster for the 2026 MLB season. On Friday, the Phillies announced that left-handed relief pitcher Genesis Cabrera was reassigned to minor league camp.
The 29-year-old signed a minor league deal with the Phillies this past offseason. He ended up receiving an invite to spring training as well. It seemed as if Cabrera had a possibility of making the big league roster, but the Phillies ultimately went in a different direction.
The move is surprising since Cabrera pitched to a 2.57 ERA across seven spring training appearances. MLB teams usually only have two or three left-handed pitchers in the bullpen, though. The presences of Jose Alvarado and Tanner Banks likely played a role in Philadelphia's roster move on Friday.
The Phillies will continue having roster announcements made with Opening Day drawing near. While a number of players are performing well at spring training, the ball club can only keep 26 players on the regular season roster.
Philadelphia's bullpen outlook is promising despite the team's Genesis Cabrera decision. Jhoan Duran is one of the best closers in baseball. Jose Alvarado and Brad Keller are reliable setup men. Relievers such as Orion Kerkring, Tanner Banks and Jonathan Bowlan are all capable of making impacts as well.
For the most part, Philadelphia's bullpen has been a strength in recent years. The Phillies are looking to contend in the National League East once again. In order to win the division, the Phillies will need a strong effort from their relievers.
