Kerkering ready to take on an even bigger role for Phillies in 2025

Kerkering ready to take on an even bigger role for Phillies in 2025 originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

His spot in the Phillies’ late-inning bullpen mix is secure, but Orion Kerkering may still be trying to prove himself this spring.

Matt Strahm needs a new throwing partner, after all, with Jeff Hoffman leaving for Toronto.

“I’m not sure, I think that’s up in the air right now,” Kerkering said with a laugh Tuesday. “He’s got to find the right guy for that. It almost feels like an audition. Jeff was like that perfect guy, they get in and get out in five minutes. I’m like, ‘Mmm, I don’t know if I can do that.’ We’ll see about that one.”

Strahm and Hoffman, both All-Stars in 2024, spent the better part of the past two seasons as throwing partners. They developed a strong bond on and off the field and enjoyed two tremendous years together as teammates. Hoffman was a free agent this offseason at age 32 with his first and perhaps only chance for a big payday and ended up signing a three-year, $33 million contract with the Blue Jays.

The Phillies loved Hoffman but already had the second-highest payroll in the sport filled with players due raises, and they chose to sign former Jays closer Jordan Romano to a one-year, $8.5M deal instead.

“Jeff won’t be here so it’s a little difficult, but Strahm’s still here, a lot of the veteran guys are still here,” Kerkering said.

Those two vets in particular seem to have an avuncular relationship with Kerkering, who relayed that Hoffman texted him to tell him “he’s still gonna check up with me to make sure I’m listening to Strahm.”

The Phils also lost Carlos Estevez, who was acquired at the 2024 trade deadline and became the Phillies’ closer in the second half. As a result, Kerkering will be thrust into an even more important role. In 2023, he was the late-season secret weapon. In 2024, he showed he belonged at the back-end of a big-league bullpen with a 2.29 ERA over 63 innings. In 2025, Kerkering might be the Phils’ most important reliever, likely forming an eighth-ninth inning triumvirate with Strahm and Romano.

“No pressure at all,” the 23-year-old said. “It’s the same three outs every time you go out there. No matter what inning it is, they’re all super important. I think it’ll be a fun task to handle.”

Beyond Romano, Strahm and Kerkering, the Phillies’ bullpen has four other locks in Jose Alvarado, Jose Ruiz, Tanner Banks and Joe Ross. (Barring injury, of course.) That would leave only one spot up for grabs in spring training for about a dozen pitchers including Taijuan Walker, Max Lazar and a slew of non-roster invitees and offseason waiver claims.

A major key will be keeping Romano, Strahm and Kerkering healthy. Romano missed most of 2024 with a right elbow impingement. Strahm and Kerkering have both been durable as Phillies. Strahm has taken down 160 innings the last two years between the regular season and playoffs.

“It’s a lot longer season than most people expect, that’s for sure,” Kerkering said.

When it ended, Kerkering took more time off than he’s accustomed to in order to regroup. He didn’t start moving around again for about a month, recognizing the grind of a big-league calendar that begins the second week of February, and if you’re lucky, ends eight months later.

Kerkering arrived in the majors with a devastating slider but didn’t trust his upper-90s four-seam fastball right away. His balance was significantly better last season and a goal of his for 2025 is to continue improving his two-seam fastball. A three-pitch guy is much different than a one-pitch guy, even if that one pitch generates as many whiffs as his slider.

He is one of the players the Phillies are relying on most in 2025.

“It’s a good step,” Kerkering said. “I think it’ll be a fun step.”