The 2025 Major League Baseball regular season is winding down, and the playoff race is heating up. Entering Thursday, the Philadelphia Phillies hold a 6.5-game lead over the New York Mets for first place in the NL East with 35 games left to play.
Role players are just as important as the stars on championship-caliber teams. Although not always credited for their success, these three players are fueling the Phillies’ quest for a second consecutive division title.
Tanner Banks unsung hero of Phillies’ bullpen
The Phillies’ bullpen has been the team’s biggest weakness in 2025. The bullpen’s 4.32 ERA and .247 batting average against are among the worst in the majors, with about a month and a half left to go in the regular season.
Despite the bullpen’s season-long struggles in 2025, the group has been better as of late. The bullpen owns a 4.17 ERA since the All-Star break and a 3.33 ERA with a .188 batting average against in August.
Orion Kerkering, Matt Strahm and now Jhoan Duran get most of the attention out of the Phillies’ bullpen, but Tanner Banks has arguably been the unsung hero in 2025. The left-hander owns a 2.98 ERA and a 0.94 WHIP in 54 appearances.
Banks was an underrated pickup at last year’s trade deadline from the Chicago White Sox and has been a pleasant surprise since. The 33-year-old is enjoying a career year in 2025 in which he has six holds, one save in two opportunities, a .214 batting average against, 53 strikeouts and a career-low eight walks allowed.
In a frustrating year for the bullpen, Banks has been a bright spot. He consistently gets the job done when his name is called and is a key piece to the Phillies’ playoff race.
Edmundo Sosa providing spark off Phillies’ bench
Like Banks, Edmundo Sosa has been a pleasant surprise since being acquired from the St. Louis Cardinals in 2022. The super utility man has been one of the better bench options in the majors.
Sosa may not get as many opportunities as many Phillies fans would like him to, but he consistently performs when given the chance. The 29-year-old started the season red-hot, forcing Phillies manager Rob Thomson to find ways to keep his bat in the lineup.
Although he cooled off a bit from earlier in the season, Sosa owns a .262 batting average with 16 extra-base hits and 27 RBI in 72 games. With Bryson Stott underperforming offensively and Alec Bohm missing some time due to injury, Sosa has been given extended playing time, proving to be a starting-caliber player at the MLB level.
Not only has Sosa been a spark offensively, but he has also been an above-average defender for the Phillies. He has committed just three errors across 481 innings between third base, second base, shortstop, left field and center field this season.
Brandon Marsh quietly enjoying solid season
Brandon Marsh is what is considered a polarizing player. Phillies fans have mixed emotions about the player who was thought to be a long-term solution in the outfield.
Marsh quickly became a fan favorite after being traded from the Los Angeles Angels during the 2022 season. His vibrant personality, quirkiness and success both offensively and defensively won over many Phillies fans’ hearts.
After producing a career year in 2023, Marsh hasn’t had the same success over the last two years. The 27-year-old has battled some injuries and has been streaky at the plate.
Marsh was hitless in 29 at-bats in April, but he has been one of the Phillies’ hottest hitters since. He hit .298 in May, .324 in June, .271 in July and owns a .292 batting average through 48 at-bats in August.
Before the All-Star break, Marsh slashed .259/.332/.365 with a .697 OPS. In 27 games since the All-Star break, Marsh is slashing .284/.326/.500 with an .826 OPS.
Marsh has also proven to be an above-average fielder, owning a .985 fielding percentage between all three outfield positions in 2025. Although it seemed like his time with the team was coming to an end (subscription required), per The Athletic’s Matt Gelb, Marsh is helping fuel the Phillies to a division title.
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