The Philadelphia Phillies were active this offseason, and although there are still some uncertainties in the starting rotation and everyday lineup, their bullpen once again appears to be a strength.
However, after trading away Matt Strahm, Philadelphia now has room for a third left-handed reliever. Beyond Tanner Banks and José Alvarado, the club could use another southpaw option to round out the bullpen.
MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki pointed to a potential sleeper candidate for that role: veteran left-hander Genesis Cabrera, formerly of the New York Mets and St. Louis Cardinals, who could emerge as a surprise addition to the Opening Day roster.
Zolecki noted that if Cabrera can rediscover the form he showed from 2021 through 2024 — when he posted a 3.94 ERA across 202 appearances — he could claim one of the final bullpen spots.
The 29-year-old reliever has spent most of his seven-year MLB career with the Cardinals, recording a 4.14 ERA in 174 games there. His best stretches came in 2020 and 2021, when he posted ERAs of 2.42 and 3.73, respectively.
In 2024, Cabrera turned in a solid 3.59 ERA over 69 outings with the Toronto Blue Jays. His 2025 campaign, however, was uneven. He logged a 3.52 ERA in six appearances with the Mets before struggling to an 8.68 ERA in nine outings for the Chicago Cubs. He later joined the Pittsburgh Pirates, posting a 4.91 ERA in nine appearances, and finished the season with the Milwaukee Brewers, where he had a 7.98 ERA across 16 games.
Overall, Cabrera appeared in 40 games across four teams last season, compiling a 6.54 ERA. Still, if he impresses during Spring Training and current frontrunner Kyle Backhus falters, Cabrera could position himself to snag a bullpen spot when the Phillies finalize their Opening Day roster.
