Phillies

Tanner Banks Has Found Consistent Success in an Up and Down Phillies Bullpen

By Luke Arcaini

Published: Jul 6th, 2025 · 12:49 PM EDT

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The Phillies bullpen has been the definition of up and down in 2025.

Dave Dombrowski took a gamble on Jordan Romano this offseason after dealing with elbow issues in the past. It hasn’t been a great start. Romano, 32, has tallied a 6.82 ERA in 35 games this year in 31.1 innings pitched. Dombrowski’s biggest bullpen acquisition of the offseason has turned into a low-leverage guy over the last few weeks; that was never their goal when giving him $8.5M this past offseason, although he’s found more success over the last month or so.

Their other signing, Joe Ross, hasn’t bee great either. He holds a 5.53 RA in 28 games in 2025 and logged a 7.20 ERA in 10 June innings.

Matt Strahm is starting to find it, but hasn’t been as sharp as last year. Orion Kerkering has turned into the teams #1 option out of the bullpen. They’ve been searching for another high-leverage option, and it seems they may have found one in Tanner Banks.

Banks, 33, was acquired at last year’s trade deadline from the Chicago White Sox in exchange for William Bergolla, the Phillies’ #11 prospect at the time. Banks wasn’t brought here to take down huge innings, but he’s done that this year.

Losing Jose Alvarado was a massive blow to the Phillies bullpen. They’ve had a tough search for in-house left-handed options. Banks has been forced into bigger spots than he’s ever thrown in the majors, and he’s ran with it.

I spoke to Tanner Banks ahead of Sunday’s matinee series finale against the Reds about the climb in the ranks of the Phillies bullpen and what has to change as far as mentality.

“It’s funny you mention mentality, that was honestly probably the biggest focus, is, you know, how am I mentally preparing? What am I telling myself trying to approach every outing the same, trying to pitch aggressive, trying to pitch, it might sound weird, but trying to pitch on offense and not pitch to be on defense.”

Mentality is everything for a reliever. You don’t need to have the best stuff in baseball to be a successful reliever. Of course, it helps. But the confidence when you run out from the bullpen is more important than whatever you do on the mound.

“Are you pitching to get guys out and get back in the dugout so you guys can hit? Are you pitching to not give up a run? And that was kind of my biggest mentality shift. I’m pitching aggressive. I’m not pitching timid, trusting the catcher, trusting the defense, and kind of just trying to have that self talk between pitch, like, what am I trying to throw?”

Walks kill a reliever. Tanner Banks has been one of the best in baseball at limiting them. He’s walked just five batters in 39.1 innings this year, and has 31 strikeouts to 1 walk over his last 29 appearances (115 batters faced).

Tanner Banks and Orion Kerkering have relied on each other a ton since becoming teammates. Banks said he talks to Kerkering all of the time about his mentality. Kerkering, who has turned into the go-to high-leverage guy in the Phillies bullpen, is never scared of the moment.

“I’ve had opportunities to talk to him (Kerkering) too, like what his thought process is in big moments…We’re in Sacramento, and he’s got bases loaded, and it’s a 3-0 count, bottom of the 10th inning, and I’m like crap, what’s going to happen? It’s not easy. He throws his hardest pitch of the night. I’m like, in that moment what are you thinking?” – Tanner Banks

“I was just thinking to throw it to the glove as hard as I can” – Orion Kerkering

Hitters are batting .196 against Banks’ slider, and .186 against his four-seam fastball. It’s his two go-to pitches. I asked him about those two pitches specifically, and he said it’s not necessarily about the pitch itself, but the mindset and intent behind the pitch.

“I wouldn’t say there’s like, one right pitch or one wrong pitch, but throwing the right pitch passively versus the wrong pitch aggressively. Like any pitcher can tell you, that if they threw a pitch and executed it perfect, that if they weren’t 100% behind the pitch, they’ll get beat. So when JT or Marchan calls a pitch, unless deep down in my gut I know that’s not the pitch I’m supposed to throw, then you’re going to have to try to beat me.”

Banks is having a career year. Players are barreling the ball at one of the lowest rates of his career. Hitters aren’t hitting the ball off of him as hard as they have. It’s showing in the deep stats. He has a 3.20 ERA, and a 3.26 xERA. He’s been one of the most important pieces in an iffy Phillies bullpen.

If the Phillies have a big trade deadline, the goal would be getting Tanner Banks out of some of the situations he’s had to take down recently. But he’s earned every opportunity he’s gotten this year, and it all falls back on that reliever mentality.