The Philadelphia Phillies made some major changes to their pitching staff last week when starting pitcher Andrew Painter was demoted to Triple-A Lehigh Valley, along with left-handed relief pitcher Tanner Banks .
A few corresponding moves were made to restock the staff, with right-handed Seth Johnson being recalled from Triple-A and right-handed pitcher Bryse Wilson having his contract purchased.
However, both of those players are relief pitchers. There was still a question of who would take Painter's spot in the starting rotation, and that answer has now been revealed in the next batch of roster moves made by the franchise.
As shared on the official Phillies X account, ahead of the team's game against the Washington Nationals , right-handed pitcher Alan Rangel has been recalled from Triple-A and will be pitching in some capacity with veteran reliever Tim Mayza operating as the opener.
Feb 22, 2026; West Palm Beach, Florida, USA; Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Alan Rangel (57) delivers a pitch against the Washington Nationals during the first inning at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches. | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
In addition to Rangel being brought back to the Big League roster, Philadelphia is welcoming back Kyle Backhus . He is being reinstated from the 15-day injured list after completing his rehab assignment.
His return could not have come at a better time because the Phillies are in desperate need of some left-handed help in the bullpen. With Banks at Triple-A, the only southpaw on the relief staff is Jose Alvarado , who has not been consistently effective thus far in 2026.
Backhus has not pitched for Philadelphia since April 25 but has made 10 appearances for the club, pitching 9.2 innings with a 4.66 ERA and 10 strikeouts.
To make room on the roster for Rangel and Backhus, the Phillies have optioned right-handed pitcher Max Lazar to Triple-A Lehigh Valley after the game against the New York Mets on June 21.
Lazar made three appearances with the Major League club after his 2026 campaign was delayed because of injury. He had a 4.50 ERA across four innings and will operate as organizational depth for the bullpen.
He could eventually be joined by Wilson. With Philadelphia for a few days after his contract was purchased, he was designated for assignment. If he clears waivers, he could be outrighted back to Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
Wilson made one appearance during his stint with the Phillies, throwing two shutout innings against New York on June 18. Retaining him in the minor leagues would be ideal since he has experience as a swingman in the Major Leagues, operating as both a starting pitcher and reliever.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/phillies/onsi as Phillies Activate Kyle Backhus in Pitching Staff Shakeup .
