Phillies Sneakily Re-Sign Recent Non-Tender Castoff to League Contract
PHILADELPHIA – In a move that exemplifies the Philadelphia Phillies’ knack for turning roster housekeeping into strategic wizardry, the organization quietly re-signed right-handed pitcher Michael Mercado to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training just days after non-tendering him to free agency. The transaction, which slipped past the radar of most national headlines amid the frenzy of the MLB non-tender deadline, underscores the Phillies’ ongoing commitment to depth in their bullpen – a unit that propelled them to another National League East title in 2025 but exposed vulnerabilities in high-leverage situations during their postseason exit.
The non-tender deadline on November 21 came and went with little fanfare for the Phillies, who tendered contracts to all seven of their arbitration-eligible players, including key pieces like third baseman Alec Bohm (projected at $10.3 million), second baseman Bryson Stott ($6.2 million), and left-hander Jesús Luzardo ($8.1 million). They also agreed to split deals with catchers Garrett Stubbs and Rafael Marchán, ensuring organizational depth behind J.T. Realmuto, whose free agency looms large this winter. But the real eyebrow-raisers were the non-tenders of Mercado and fellow righty Daniel Robert, both pre-arbitration arms who had shown flashes but not enough to justify a 40-man roster spot at this juncture.
Mercado, 25, was acquired by the Phillies from the Tampa Bay Rays in a minor November 2023 trade that sent cash considerations the other way – a low-risk flier on a prospect who had dominated in the Rays’ system. Fast forward two years, and Mercado’s path through Philadelphia has been a tale of promise interrupted by inconsistency. In 2024, he dazzled in Triple-A Lehigh Valley with a 2.07 ERA over 52 innings, striking out 68 while walking just 22, earning a midseason call-up in June. His MLB debut was the stuff of highlight reels: a scoreless relief inning against the Oakland Athletics at Citizens Bank Park, where he fanned two and painted the corners with a four-seam fastball that averaged 95 mph.
That debut paved the way for his first big-league start a week later, a gritty five-inning, one-run gem against the San Francisco Giants that netted him his inaugural victory. Fans in the City of Brotherly Love quickly warmed to the lanky right-hander from Hialeah, Florida, whose easy smile and postgame quotes about “just trying to help the boys win” evoked memories of the club’s homegrown arms like Aaron Nola. But the honeymoon was short-lived. Mercado’s command deserted him in the second half, as he issued 12 walks in just 18 big-league innings, ballooning his ERA to 4.50. Demoted back to Lehigh Valley in August, he steadied the ship somewhat, finishing the 2025 minor-league campaign with a 6-1 record, 4.59 ERA, 53 strikeouts, and 29 walks over