The Phillies recalled Alan Rangel on Monday and will use him in bulk relief behind Tim Mayza against the Washington Nationals. The move came before the series opener and changed the pitching plan for that game.
Alan Rangel behind Tim Mayza
Rangel is back from Triple-A Lehigh Valley after appearing in one game for the Phillies in April. He posted a 3.57 ERA in 11 starts with the IronPigs this season, which gave the club a starter who can absorb innings rather than force the bullpen to cover the night from the first pitch.
That is the assignment now: Mayza opens, and Rangel follows. The arrangement lets the Phillies get through the first part of the game with one pitcher before handing the bulk work to another, a cleaner way to manage innings when the roster is being shuffled on the same day.
Kyle Backhus returns Monday
The Phillies also reinstated Kyle Backhus from the 15-day injured list. He had gone on the injured list with left elbow inflammation on April 30, retroactive to April 27, and he was 0-0 with a 4.66 ERA in 10 games, including one start, before the move.
Backhus gives the Phillies another left-handed option on a day when the pitching group was reshaped around Mayza and Rangel. His return matters because it arrives in the same transaction window as the club’s other bullpen decisions, not after a longer stretch of recovery.
Bryse Wilson moved out
Max Lazar was optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley, and Bryse Wilson was designated for assignment. Wilson had signed as a minor league free agent on Dec. 12, 2025, then made one relief appearance on June 18 and pitched two scoreless innings.
That is the sharpest cut in the shuffle. The Phillies kept Rangel for the Washington Nationals game, brought Backhus back, and opened a roster spot by moving Wilson out after a brief run in the bullpen. How long Rangel stays in this arrangement after Monday night is still the live part of the move.
