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Phillies Claim Intriguing Lefty Off Waivers
By Luke Arcaini
Published:
The Phillies claimed left-handed pitcher Tim Mayza off waivers from the Pittsburgh Pirates, which was first reported by Alex Stumpf of MLB.com.
Mayza, 33, went to Upper Perkiomen High School in Pennsburg before going to Millersville University. He was drafted in the 12th round by the Blue Jays back in 2013, and made his MLB debut in 2017.
It’s been an interesting career for Mayza. He’s had some really bad years, but he’s also shown flashes of being a really, really nasty lefty. His best year was back in 2023 with Toronto, where he held a 1.52 ERA in 69 appearances, allowing just nine earned runs all year with 53 strikeouts.
Mayza had a 2.89 ERA with Pittsburgh in 2025 before going down with a lat muscle strain in his left shoulder. The Phillies take a chance and get some more lefty depth for a team that doesn’t have a ton of left-handed relievers.
Right now, the Phillies would only have two lefties in their bullpen come October – Matt Strahm and Tanner Banks. If Mayza impresses, maybe he could be the third. He’s a sinker-heavy pitcher, throwing it nearly 70% of the time throughout his MLB career.
Luke Arcaini writes about the Phillies for Crossing Broad, covers the Phillies for FOX Sports The Gambler, and co-hosts "Phillies Digest" on YouTube. The wave is the worst thing in all of sports. Contact: lukearcaini8@gmail.com