Dodgers manager Dave Roberts stopped short of saying Evan Phillips was no longer his closer, but the struggling right-hander’s grip on the ninth-inning role has clearly slipped.
“To be quite honest, I’m going to pitch him in leverage, but I don’t know what that looks like,” Roberts said before Monday night’s series opener against the San Francisco Giants. “Can I see him still finishing games with the right lanes? Absolutely. But is there a chance I pitch him in the seventh inning in leverage? Sure.”
Phillips had a 1.52 ERA and converted all 13 of his save opportunities in 25 games through June 29, holding opponents to a .