The Phillies added veteran right-hander Trevor Richards before Game 2 of Thursday’s doubleheader after a fresh bullpen move. Philadelphia turned to the journeyman with eight MLB seasons under his belt Thursday, selecting the former Toronto Blue Jays pitcher from Triple-A Lehigh Valley between games of a doubleheader against the San Francisco Giants.
The move came out of necessity. Left-hander Kyle Backhus landed on the 15-day injured list with left elbow inflammation, retroactive to April 27, opening the door Richards had been waiting behind all spring.
Trevor Richards’ Triple-A Numbers Earned the Phillies Call-up
Richards, 32, signed a minor league deal with Philadelphia in January and spent the early part of 2026 making a persuasive case at Lehigh Valley. Over nine appearances across 14 innings, he posted a 1.93 ERA while striking out 26 of the 50 batters he faced, a 52% strikeout clip that is difficult to ignore. He issued just three free passes, according to MLB Trade Rumors‘ Darragh McDonald.
His ERA is partly the result of good luck. A .111 batting average on balls in play and a 100% strand rate both played a role. But Richards’ punchout volume is real. His three runs allowed all came via the home run ball, a chronic issue throughout his career that will bear watching at the MLB level.
The Phillies had a 40-man roster spot available after releasing right-hander Taijuan Walker earlier this month, meaning no additional corresponding moves were required to activate Richards, according to The Big Lead‘s J.P. Hoornstra.
Richards’ Career Numbers and Path to Philadelphia
Richards debuted with the Miami Marlins in 2018 and has since appeared in 295 career games, 61 as a starter across seven organizations. His career line reads 24-28 with a 4.53 ERA and 616 strikeouts in 565 2/3 innings. The Blue Jays, where he spent parts of four seasons from 2021 through 2024, represent his longest MLB tenure.
From 2021 to 2023 in Toronto, Richards posted a 31.3% strikeout rate working almost exclusively out of the bullpen — elite punchout numbers undercut by elevated walk rates and a home run problem. The Jays traded him to the Minnesota Twins at the 2024 deadline, but his control eroded further in Minnesota. The Twins designated Richards for assignment before August ended. He surfaced briefly with the Kansas City Royals and Arizona Diamondbacks in 2025, his last MLB action coming with Arizona in July of that year.
There is one additional wrinkle worth noting. Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly served as the Blue Jays’ bench coach in 2023 and 2024, meaning he has direct familiarity with Richards from their Toronto overlap, as Hoornstra reported. Mattingly was named to lead Philadelphia on an interim basis this week after the club fired manager Rob Thomson.
As a veteran with at least five years of MLB service time, Richards cannot be optioned back to the minors without his consent, meaning if the Phillies want him off the active roster, they would need to remove him from the 40-man entirely by designating him for assignment. For now, Philadelphia is betting that the Triple-A strikeout stuff carries over, and that a fresh opportunity with a contending club brings out the version of Richards that once made him a reliable bullpen piece in Toronto.
Phillies Add 8-Year Veteran Righty Trevor Richards Before Game 2 of Doubleheader