Philadelphia Phillies fans can finally exhale. Before Tuesday night’s matchup in San Francisco, the team confirmed that right-handed reliever Orion Kerkering is rejoining the roster after spending time on the injured list with a hamstring strain.
Kerkering will take the roster spot of Kyle Backhus, who gave up three runs over three innings to start the 2026 campaign. After a strong 2025 regular season but a postseason that damaged his reputation, tonight marks the beginning of what could be Orion Kerkering’s redemption run.
Kerkering set to make immediate impact in return to Phillies bullpen
It shouldn’t take long for Phillies fans to remember how steady Kerkering can be. He excels at inducing weak contact and preventing hitters from squaring up his pitches — traits that helped him log 124 appearances over the past two years.
That’s a heavy workload for any pitcher, yet Kerkering has flourished with consistent usage. While the Phillies’ bullpen hasn’t been terrible to start the season, its collective ERA sits above 4.00 through 10 games. Jhoan Duran’s dominance and Tim Mayza’s unexpected rise have carried the group, but it’s far too early to claim the bullpen is a major strength.
Ideally, Kerkering brings added dependability. Last season, he delivered scoreless outings in 52 of his 69 appearances. He performed well against the Nationals and Braves — posting ERAs in the low-to-mid 3.00s — but struggled versus the other NL East contenders. If he can adjust against the Mets (three runs, four walks in 2.1 innings) and the Marlins (four runs, three walks in 5.1 innings), he should cement himself as part of the Phillies’ trusted core in what will be his third full MLB season.
Manager Rob Thomson has already leaned heavily on seven relievers, each appearing in at least four games, with Duran (six) leading the pack. José Alvarado, Brad Keller, and Mayza have each pitched five times. Once Kerkering settles back into major-league rhythm, he’s expected to join that rotation of reliable arms as the Phillies — and their fans — move on from last year.
His slow start to 2026 came from injury, not from any lingering frustration over a postseason exit that ended too abruptly — and partly because of him. Now, after a cautious ramp-up, he’s ready to put it all behind him.
