Kyle BackhusPHI · RP

2026 review

Kyle Backhus was a reliever who never settled into one lane, working to a 4.95 ERA and 1.55 WHIP in 20.0 IP over 21 games for PHI, with a 21.3 K% and a 6.4 BB% over 94 BF. He was optioned by PHI on Apr 7 and recalled Apr 15, then placed on the 15-day IL Apr 30, retroactive to Apr 27, with left elbow inflammation, missing 56 regular-season days before a rehab assignment on Jun 9 and activation on Jun 22. After that he shuttled between the majors and the minors on Jul 7, Jul 25, Aug 4, Sep 15 and Sep 18. Undrafted in NFBC drafts, he finished 737th of 1472 in the TDK LABS 5x5 value rank and 339th of 575 relief pitchers. The TDK LABS card flagged the elbow issue in early May with no return timeline set, and once he was activated in late Jun it had him in a pure middle-relief role on a deep Phillies pen with no save or hold lane despite the loud raw stuff; by mid Sep it had him getting another call to the majors to fill a bullpen need after a roster spot came open.