The Los Angeles Dodgers welcomed back a key member of their bullpen as Evan Phillips was activated off the 15-day injured list ahead of the series opener against the Colorado Rockies.
The right-hander had been sidelined since May 3 due to a right hamstring strain that was sustained when one of the spikes on his cleat got stuck in the grass while playing catch.
After making two rehab appearances with Single-A Rancho Cucamonga, Phillips returned to a big league mound on Saturday when he threw a scoreless ninth inning and recorded his ninth save of the season. “It felt great,” he said after the Dodgers’ 4-1 win.
“Not going to lie, it was a very frustrating injury to fight through a freak accident like that. So very fortunate the rehab was relatively quick and easy, and just super glad to be back out here competing and helping us win games.”
Phillips was excited to be back with the Dodgers and felt a boost on the mound. “I think you guys know me pretty well, I don’t drive off adrenaline or anything like that,” he explained.
“I kind of just try to stay even keeled and do what I can out there. I was just very excited to be back out there with the team. I think, if anything, I felt a little extra motivation just to be out there again with the guys, but nothing extra than normal.”
Phillips did not allow a baserunner and collected a strikeout, throwing seven of his 11 pitches for strikes. “Like I said, that was the goal. My goal was to stay as sharp as I possibly could through the time off,” he said of his command.
“And I think all the bullpens, live BPs, the games in Rancho, that was a goal of mine, to try to pitch like I had been and how I will when I returned. So like I said, I think we did a pretty good job. But you know, still a lot in front of us and that’ll be my goal day by day.”
Evan Phillips: ‘Mental side’ of rehab more challenging
Phillips missed nearly a month due to the freak injury and said his rehab was more challenging from a mental perspective. “For me, I think it was definitely more of the mental side,” he began.
“Like how to maintain that groove, right? But it was also maybe a blessing in disguise. I got to spend a lot more time with my family. My wife and son, we definitely took advantage of that time.
“I missed out on a couple of road trips, yes, but I got to make up for that time with time I normally don’t get to spend with my family. So I’m very fortunate for that.
“Anytime I got frustrated about being in the position I was in or waiting for the rehab to be done, I got to dig in with them a little bit more. So I think I was definitely fortunate for that.”
Have you subscribed to the Dodger Blue YouTube channel? Be sure to ring the notification bell to watch player interviews, participate in shows and giveaways, and stay up to date on all Dodgers news and rumors!
