The Philadelphia Phillies lost another bullpen arm Saturday when six-year veteran right-hander Zach Pop rejected an outright assignment to Triple-A Lehigh Valley and chose free agency after clearing waivers.
Pop had the right to refuse the assignment because he had previously been outrighted during his major league career, allowing the 29-year-old reliever to leave the organization rather than remain in the minors.
The Philadelphia Phillies designated Pop for assignment on May 30 to clear a 40-man roster spot for right-hander Max Lazar, who was returning from a 60-day injured list stint with a left oblique strain, according to the Phillies’ official social media account. Pop had been on the 15-day injured list himself with a right calf strain dating to mid-April, an injury he sustained while doing agility work.
He cleared waivers unclaimed and was outrighted to Triple-A before exercising his right to elect free agency, according to a report by MLB Trade Rumors‘ Charlie Wright.
Pop’s Philadelphia Career Ends After Lone Season
Pop appeared in seven games for Philadelphia this season, posting a 3.68 ERA across 7.1 innings. His lone start came April 12 against the Arizona Diamondbacks, when he served as an opener ahead of Andrew Painter. A right calf strain shut him down the following day.
The Brampton, Ontario, native signed with Philadelphia last December, joining the organization looking to resurrect a career that had lost stability. In 2025, he bounced between four organizations — the Toronto Blue Jays, Seattle Mariners, New York Mets and Chicago Cubs — never catching on with any of them.
His 2025 MLB time with the Mariners and Mets produced grim results: 11 earned runs in 6.2 combined innings. That followed a career-high 58-appearance season in 2024 with Toronto in which he held opponents to a .200 batting average against his slider.
Pop’s career spans parts of six major league seasons across five franchises — Miami, Toronto, Seattle, New York and Philadelphia — with a 4.83 ERA and 170 appearances. His résumé includes Tommy John surgery in 2019, a Rule 5 Draft selection in 2020 and a trade to Toronto in 2022 as part of the Jordan Groshans deal with the Miami Marlins.
Phillies Bullpen Navigating Roster Flux
Philadelphia’s relief corps has been in a state of churn throughout 2026. Aaron Nola recently landed on the paternity list, and the club turned to Nolan Hoffman as a fill-in long man rather than waiting on Pop to work his way back from the calf injury. Lazar, who returns as an option after posting a 2.70 ERA in 13.1 minor league innings this year, was optioned to Triple-A upon reinstatement.
The Phillies entered Saturday sitting at 34-29 — second in the NL East. Philadelphia’s relief depth remains a concern as the team pushes through a stretch that includes its current series hosting the surprising Chicago White Sox.
Pop hits the open market at a moment when bullpen demand across the league is running high, driven by an unusually heavy wave of pitching injuries. His six-year résumé gives him at least a credible case to attract interest from a club in need of middle-relief depth.
Phillies Pitcher Zach Pop Says No to Minors, Chooses Free Agency