Sep 18, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Miami Marlins relief pitcher Tyler Phillips (30) pitches in the seventh inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images Isaiah J. Downing
Miami Marlins' reliever Tyler Phillips made a tremendous play to end a scoreless top of the fifth inning against the Phillies Tuesday, robbing former teammate Alec Bohm of a potential base hit with a catch that took great reflexes.
Phillips did a mean mug as he walked off the mound, and then as he neared the third base line while walking towards Miami's dugout, fired the ball he had caught behind him. If Phillips was trying to fire the ball back towards the mound, he did a pretty lousy job, as it instead went in the direction of Bohm and the Phillies' dugout. Bohm, understandably, didn't take kindly to it:
the evidence https://t.co/n3ctYuRXK2 pic.twitter.com/Iovi4o277M
The two seemed to laugh it off. pic.twitter.com/naUXJPCMrk
After an eventual 6-5 Marlins win over the Phillies in 11 innings, Phillips spoke with On Pattison.
"He hit the hell out of it. It was a good swing. That's what I told him over at the end," Phillips said of his catch, with a smile. "You know, just react, try not to die."
What about what unfolded as he was walking off the mound?
"I just threw it behind my back, trying to look cool, I guess. I don't know," Phillips said. "I like to be fired up, you know? Didn't know he was over there, flipped it behind my back. Saw him talking to the bat boy and I was like, 'Ahh, he probably thinks I just threw that at him.' I like Bohmer. He's always been a good dude to me, always been great, so figured I'd go over and make some joke with him."
Phillips went on to say that he had no motivation to throw the ball at Bohm, nor was he trying to discard it in the direction of the Phillies' dugout.
Phillips was like a shooting star for the Phillies in 2024. The Bishop Eustace graduate had great success in his first month for the Phillies, peaking with a complete-game shutout against the Cleveland Guardians in his fourth appearance on July 27. However, the league caught up to Phillips after that, as he posted a 17.74 ERA over his next four starts, with the righty often struggling to control his emotions when things went south. Phillips wasn't a factor in the postseason, and the Phillies ultimately traded him to the Marlins for cash considerations at the end of Spring Training.
To his credit, Phillips has carved out a nice role for himself as a reliever for the Fish this season. Following his appearance Tuesday, Phillips now has a 2.87 ERA in 52 games this season.
But the 27-year-old has had success while embracing a bit of, shall we say, craziness. And Tuesday wasn't the first example of that:
There’s locked in, and then there’s Tyler Phillips… pic.twitter.com/d5wDiFa3OW
MARLINS WIN!
Miami beat Toronto 5-3 on Sunday afternoon. Tyler Phillips collected his 2nd save of the season after throwing 32 pitches yesterday.
Phillips was locked in with @SStrom_ after the victory. pic.twitter.com/OyqvawsCKu
“Off-field, it’s like fun crazy. On-field, it’s like serial killer. It’s like CRAZY crazy.”
Tyler Phillips told me why he slaps himself in the face and then he went ultra-viral with @SStrom_ for, well, being crazy
pic.twitter.com/2FL2OOOVoZ
When asked what's allowed him to be successful in Miami, Phillips didn't dis the Phillies, but did point out how different it is to be a rookie joining a veteran-heavy team, as opposed to a club like the Marlins that's young and unproven.
"They [the Marlins] let me by myself," Phillips said. "Nobody over there [the Phillies] told me that I couldn't be myself, but it's kind of ... you're walking on eggshells. You've got a lot of vets in the clubhouse. So they didn't tell me what to do, but it's kind of like going to a new job and not knowing what you can do, what you can say, what you can't say. Kind of speak when you're spoken to. Here, I [can] just be myself, have some fun on the mound.
"...People say like, 'Oh, this kid, his act is dumb, his act is stupid.' I don't give a shit, dude. I've got a family, two kids. I'm trying to provide for them. If I go out there and I'm throwing the ball scared, then I'm gonna get hit around and I'm gonna lose my job. And last year, I was throwing the ball scared at the end of the year. I was worried about who was in the box. I was worried about pleasing fans, pleasing my teammates, being a good rookie — whatever it was. I don't care anymore. I'm here, I'm trying to help my team win. I go out there. They're just trying to take the money out of my pocket, trying to ruin my livelihood. So I'm trying to keep it."
I asked Tyler Phillips what has allowed him to have success since the Phillies traded him to the Marlins in March. @OnPattison pic.twitter.com/IaUVRYuBOA
