Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Evan Phillips and his wife Elizabeth announced they are expecting their first child. The couple shared the news on Instagram, saying the baby is expected to come in 2023.
Phillips joins Mookie Betts, Caleb Ferguson, and Max Muncy in revealing themselves to be expectant fathers since the season concluded. Cody Bellinger shared he and his girlfriend Chase Carter are having a second child as well while he was still under contract with the Dodgers, but he has since signed with the Chicago Cubs.
During the postseason, Cara and Will Smtih also had their first child just hours before Game 4 of the National League Division Series against the San Diego Padres.
Of all the Dodgers players who announced they are having a child, Phillips joins Ferguson as those who are set to become a first-time father. Kellie Muncy gave birth to a daughter, Sophie Kate, this past July and the Betts already are parents to 4-year-old daughter, Kynlee.
This year has been a memorable for Phillips, who developed into one of the best relievers in Major League Baseball and became the most trusted reliever on a historically good team. The 28-year-old pitched 63 innings with a 1.14 ERA, 1.94 FIP and 0.76 WHIP while striking out 33% of hitters and walking 6.4%.
He earned the nickname “High Leverage Honey Bun” from teammates thanks to his brilliance on the mound and his previous nickname of “Honey Bun” that he earned while in college at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.
Phillips should once again be relied on to lead the bullpen during the 2023 season, and he is the early favorite to receive the majority of save opportunities with no set closer on the roster.
Evan Phillips qualified for Super Two status
The Dodgers three players are set to undergo salary arbitration thanks to their status as Super Two players. The group includes Tony Gonsolin, Brusdar Graterol and Phillips.
Typically, a player becomes eligible for arbitration after three years of Major League service time, but a select group of players can also become eligible for arbitration before reaching three years of service time thanks to the Super Two designation.
To qualify, a player must rank in the top 22% in terms of service time, among those who have amassed between two and three years in the Majors. The specific cutoff date varies on a year-to-year basis, and in 2022 the bar for Super Two status was set at 2 years, 128 days.
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