The Philadelphia Phillies are making another bullpen move after a rough stretch from Chase Shugart, who is heading back to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. The club is replacing him with veteran right-hander Lou Trivino as it keeps searching for the right mix in front of closer Jhoan Duran.
The change comes after Shugart struggled in consecutive outings against the Pittsburgh Pirates and New York Mets. He allowed three runs in each appearance, pushing his ERA up to 4.97 after a run of heavy usage in June.
Why the Phillies made the switch
Shugart had been a frequent option for interim manager Don Mattingly, but his recent form left the Phillies looking for a reset in the middle relief group. Before those struggles, he had posted a 2.21 ERA across his first 16 appearances in 2026.
| Pitcher | Current Move | Notable Recent Line |
|---|---|---|
| Chase Shugart | Optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley | 3 runs allowed in back-to-back outings; 4.97 ERA |
| Lou Trivino | Contract purchased from Triple-A | 1.27 ERA, 34 strikeouts in 22 appearances for Lehigh Valley |
Trivino’s return gives Philadelphia a familiar arm with recent success in the organization. According to Todd Zolecki of MLB.com on X, the Phillies purchased his contract from Triple-A, marking his second stint with the big league club after he made 10 appearances for them in 2025.
Trivino gets another chance in Philadelphia
Last season, Trivino gave the Phillies nine innings with a 2.00 ERA, eight strikeouts, a 230 ERA+ and a 3.36 FIP. He also produced 0.3 bWAR in a short but effective run.
His path back has been unusual. Trivino began the 2026 season with Philadelphia, was released and signed by the Baltimore Orioles on May 4, then made two appearances and allowed six earned runs in three innings before becoming a free agent on May 12.
Four days later, he re-signed with the Phillies and then impressed at Lehigh Valley, where he looked like a potential stabilizer for a bullpen that has been tested at times this season. That strong stretch earned him another big league opportunity, and the Phillies will need him to be ready quickly.
With Brad Keller sidelined by injury and Orion Kerkering pitching well, the Phillies have continued to shuffle the middle innings while trying to protect late-game leads. Trivino now gets the next turn to help settle that part of the bullpen.