Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Zach Pop elected free agency after clearing waivers and rejecting an outright assignment to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. The six-year veteran, who had been designated for assignment on May 30 to clear a 40-man roster spot for Max Lazar, exercised his right to leave the organization following a minor-league assignment. Pop appeared in seven games for the Phillies this season with a 3.68 ERA over 7.1 innings, including a lone start as an opener on April 12 before sustaining a right calf strain.
Pop’s departure comes during a period of bullpen churn for Philadelphia, which has seen turnover and injuries impact relief depth. With Pop free to sign elsewhere, the Phillies carry ongoing concerns about their relief corps as they navigate a competitive stretch in the NL East. Pop’s career spans parts of six MLB seasons across five teams, highlighted by a 58-game appearance year in 2024 with Toronto and a career 4.83 ERA over 170 appearances, including a notable 2019 Tommy John surgery and a 2020 Rule 5 Draft selection.
Key Highlights
– Pop elected free agency after being outrighted to Triple-A following waivers.
– He contributed 3.68 ERA in 7.1 innings over seven Phillies games this season.
– Phillies designated Pop to clear a 40-man roster spot for Max Lazar; Pop had been on the injured list with a calf strain.
– The bullpen remains a focal point for the Phillies amid roster flux and injuries as they pursue performance in a tight NL East race.
