Move to bullpen was ‘definitely a career-changer' for new Phillie Brad Keller

Move to bullpen was ‘definitely a career-changer' for new Phillie Brad Keller originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

CLEARWATER, Fla. – A year ago, Brad Keller was in camp with the Chicago Cubs. He was a starting pitcher on a minor-league contract looking to put his career back together after a health issue and a lackluster 2024 season.

“I was basically destined to go to (Triple A) Iowa, be a bulk starter down there and kind of see what happens,” Keller said.

What ended up happening, in his words, was “definitely a career-changer for sure.”

The Cubs opened the season early, in mid-March against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Tokyo. That necessitated carrying a reliever capable of pitching multiple innings.

“Are you willing to go to the bullpen?” the team asked Keller.

The rest, as they say, is history. The 6-foot-5, 255-pound right-hander went to the bullpen, pitched in 68 games, put up terrific numbers, and in the offseason scored a two-year, $22 million contract with the Phillies.

“It felt like a new lease on my career,” he said of the move to the bullpen.

Keller, 30, made his Grapefruit League debut with the Phils on Wednesday. He was the first of a cast of relievers to pitch against the Detroit Tigers. He needed just 11 pitches to retire the side. He got a line out, a strike out and a ground out. He topped out at 97.2 mph on the gun.

“Great,” manager Rob Thomson said of Keller’s performance. “He was high velocity and the slider was really good.”

Keller, who will join Team USA for the World Baseball Classic next week, was originally drafted by Arizona in 2013 and made it to the majors with Kansas City in 2018. After pitching well for a couple of seasons, he sputtered. The Royals let him walk after an injury-plagued 2023 season in which he pitched just 45 1/3 innings.

In October 2023, he had surgery to relieve thoracic outlet syndrome. He wore Sox in 2024 – White in Chicago and Red in Boston – but did not pitch well enough to earn a big-league deal entering 2025. He signed with the Cubs, moved to the bullpen and everything clicked. He pitched to a 2.07 ERA in 68 games. His WHIP was an impressive 0.962. After averaging 6.7 strikeouts per nine innings over the first seven years of his career, that mark jumped to 9.7 last year.

“Just getting back to the big leagues, taking advantage of an opportunity and then just being healthy, putting the TOS in the rearview mirror,” Keller said of his turnaround with the Cubs.

The move to the bullpen allowed Keller to empty the tank with his four-seam fastball. His average on the pitch rose to 97 mph last season. But he held on to his sinker, a pitch that he uses to get ground balls. He also added a sweeper and the pitch became a weapon once he got the feel for it around mid-season.

“I try to get outs and however it happens, it happens,” Keller said. “That’s why I don’t want to abandon the sinker. I feel like, especially to righties, it helps me a lot, especially incorporating the sweeper. I can play those two off each other.”

With the Phillies, Keller will be the right-handed setup man for closer Jhoan Duran. Jose Alvarado will be the left-handed setup man. Righty Orion Kerkering and lefty Tanner Banks will bridge the way to the late innings. Right-hander Jonathan Bowlan, acquired from Kansas City in the offseason for Matt Strahm, projects to have a role in the bullpen. That leaves two open spots with at least a dozen candidates, most of whom have big-league experience. Six of them – Zach Pop, Kyle Backhus, Zach McCambley, Tim Mayza, Trevor Richards and Genesis Cabrera – got work in Wednesday’s 5-3 win over Detroit.

The competition for the final two bullpen jobs will continue until the final week of camp. Keller knows what that feels like. He was there a year ago, but this year … different story. 

“It’s nice to have some comfort, knowing where I’m going to be,” he said. 

Other notes

Outfielder Brandon Marsh will miss a few days, Thomson said, after he jammed his hand in a sliding drill. X-rays and other tests were clean, Thomson said.

Infielder Aidan Miller is still receiving treatment for a sore lower back. He has yet to play. The team says it is not serious, but there’s no timetable for Miller to be back in action.

Alec Bohm had a pair of RBI hits and made a nice play at third base to start a double play in Wednesday’s win over Detroit. Otto Kemp homered and Bryce Harper had an RBI double. Center fielder Justin Crawford made a nice running catch at the wall in center field.

The Phillies host Washington on Thursday. Taijuan Walker will start. Here’s the rest of the Phillies’ upcoming pitching plans.