Can the Phillies solve their bullpen opening internally by converting a starter?

With the news that José Alvarado will not be pitching in the postseason for the Phillies this season due to his suspension — which will also have him miss 80 regular season games — the Phils now have a glaring weak spot in their bullpen.

Alvarado was perfect in save situations and was a total beast in late innings this season. They’ll need to replace that.

Jordan Romano and Orion Kerkering have been rounding into form. Matt Strahm has been his usual dominant self from the left side. But who else do you trust in a playoff series?

The Phillies will likely and rightly be aggressive buyers as the trade deadline draws near, but with selling teams knowing they’re desperate for bullpen help (and with other teams also in need of upgrades) the price could be steep.

There aren’t any stud relief prospects ready to explode onto the scene the way Kerkering did two years ago — at least not right now.

But there is another area of strength that could potentially bail out the Phillies and their need for a reliable late-inning arm.

The Phillies have eight starting pitchers right now, either on the roster, on the injured list or in the high minors who have, or will make a huge impact in 2025. Maybe one of them can follow in Brett Myers’ footsteps and become a suitable closer-type for the short term?

Definitely not going to the bullpen
Zack Wheeler

Wheeler is one of the five best pitchers in baseball and will continue to be the team’s ace, pursuing a Cy Young award that has alluded him the last few seasons despite his being consistently dominant.

Jesús Luzardo

A sneaky pickup this offseason, Luzardo is 4-0 with a 2.00 ERA and has actually been the team’s best starter so far. He is not being moved.

Aaron Nola

Nola has been a career innings eater and doesn’t really have the pitching style to convert to a shorter outing. He is more finesse than power, at least when he’s pitching well. Career-worst struggles have haunted him this season, but an injury list stint could help him to heal an ailing ankle. He will be given every opportunity to find his groove in the rotation.

Probably a stretch
Andrew Painter

The Phillies really see Painter as a future ace. He’s the top pitcher in the farm system and one of the most highly touted prospects in baseball. He’s in Triple-A right now ramping up (he tossed five innings last week) and has been projected to make the leap to the majors sometime this summer. His promotion would come at the expense of a current starter, unless he is put in the bullpen.