The Philadelphia Phillies had a solid regular season, finishing with an 88-74 record.
However, Philadelphia once again struggled during the postseason. This is because they lost to the Atlanta Braves in the NL Wild Card Series.
Now, with the offseason here, the Phillies have moved on from one of their pitchers.
Philadelphia Phillies Release 27-Year-Old Pitcher
The Phillies have released pitcher Michael Mercado during the early days of the offseason.
“RHP Michael Mercado elected free agency,” MLB.com reported.
Mercado being released by the Phillies comes after he spent all of this season in the minors.
In 41 games split between Single-A Clearwater, High-A Jersey Shore, and Triple-A Lehigh Valley, Mercado posted a 5-6 record, a 4.22 ERA, and 59 strikeouts.
Mercado did not appear in an MLB game for the Phillies during the 2026 season.
Looking at Mercado’s Career
While Mercado did not pitch for the Phillies this season, he has some MLB experience.
Mercado made appearances for Philadelphia during both the 2024 and 2025 seasons.
During the 2024 season, Mercado had a 1-2 record, an 11.08 ERA, and 10 strikeouts in five appearances for the Phillies. He then followed that up by posting a 0-0 record and allowing five earned runs in three innings pitched during the 2025 season for the Phillies.
Overall, Mercado has had his struggles at the MLB level. Yet, he will be looking for a chance to change that now that he has hit the free agent market.
In 232 career minor league games over eight seasons, Mercado has a 25-26 record, a 4.32 ERA, and 519 strikeouts. Given his minor experience, he should be able to find a new home this offseason.
Philadelphia Phillies Release 27-Year-Old Pitcher in Sudden Move