Tyler Phillips

There's two fights going on. I wouldn't mind it, though. I've had a lot of thoughts about this. For some reason, as a starter, when I was on the mound, if it was me, I think that I'm like John Wick. The guy's going to come at me with a bat. I'm going to catch it under my arm. I'm like Nolan Ryan. But yeah, no, I mean...

You've got to be mentally prepared. I took some jujitsu during spring training. Yeah, the Phillies had a guy there, so I'm ready. You might see me just crawling on the ground, just skating around. No, I'm ready for whatever. I want to get in one. The shoving or just the bouncing around in a circle just doesn't do it for me.

You got to pick the biggest guy. You either pick the biggest guy or don't show up.

35.

Or for the fight, maybe just walk to first. Just piss the pitcher off. Yeah.

I mean, I'm new to the team. Got here opening day. So building relationships with guys. But yeah, like you said, I think we're in all the games.

I got traded opening day, like the day before opening day.

A little bit. But I mean, you know, I heard Miami. I was like, oh, cool.

Yeah, you can't complain. There's definitely worse places to be.

100%.

I was trying to avoid it all spring. I was out of options. I was with the Phillies. So kind of an impossible team to make if you're a rookie and you're not like the guy. Right. So I was kind of like inevitable for me. It felt like I just found out literally the last day of camp, like all my stuff was in Philly. I shipped it all.

Thought I was making the team like transitioning from a starter to a reliever. I was like, oh, cool. And last day, like the sixth inning of the last game, they pull me in the office like, hey, we claimed a guy. You're going to be traded. I was like.

Yeah, 15, high schooler.

No, no. I wanted to. I was trying to force something out. There's no video. I didn't see a camera, so it didn't matter anymore.

It means so much to you. I mean, no, mine was weird, though. I took my opt-out, so I had an upper mobility. Wait, what does that mean? I told the team, hey, I'm not going up. I want to take my chances being a free agent. Oh, got it. Pretty much like I had my opt out. Um, we, I think we were in Durham and like the week before Korea was offering me.

Um, and it was like, they were offering me like the max, like for the prorated amount, I think somewhere around there. Um, that's just really far. And I was stressing out. Like, I just remember it. Um, I was like sitting outside my hotel. Uh, my family wasn't with me. And I'm just like pulling my hair out, sitting on the steps like I don't know what to do. Like they wanted a decision.

I got a call like a Tuesday morning. They wanted the decision the Tuesday night. I was like, I need you guys to buy me more time. I think like Wednesday, I ultimately turned it down. Pitched Thursday, did really well. And then the first of the month was coming up July 1st. My agent said like, hey, dude, like you turned Korea down. We're taking your upper mobility, like your opt out.

So basically the team, the Phillies had to put me on the table for all the other teams to possibly take. And if anyone wanted me, then the Phillies had to decide if they wanted to protect me or not. So kind of putting the pressure on.

Yeah, you have to be on the 26th. Oh, so you forced their hand. Kind of forced their hand. That's kind of baller. It felt weird.

because like I told my age like whatever man I trust you guys and I knew I think like the first day that teams were interested and now it was up to the Phillies so the second day I was getting some calls like hey this might happen right um there was like some weird scenarios where it was like if you pitch this day then you're going up with this team if you pitch two innings this day then you're going to be in the bullpen this day and if you don't pitch at all you're being traded

I'm like, okay. So I'm just, again, still stressing out. Don't know what's going on. And my manager called me on a double header day when I was supposed to pitch the night game. And he said, where are you? I was like, I'm at home. It's 930. Why would I be at the field? Like I'm pitching at seven. He goes, well, what if we needed you? And I was like, why would you need me pitching at seven?

He's like, well, what would the roster change? She's like, just get in here now. I'm like my pitching coach just texted me like, Hey, like, uh, like where the fuck are you, man? Like you gotta be here. I'm like, dude. So I'm thinking they're canceling my start and I'm being traded, showed up to the field.

And, uh, they hit me with kind of like a, like kind of like a prank that you were talking about. They hit me with, um, like why weren't you here like you're late i was like no i'm not they said well you think you do whatever you want i said no i don't well what do you think you're a big leaguer or something yeah i do they're like okay well good because you are

like i already knew like i knew like two days before so it wasn't like this magical thing and then they didn't know what move they were making for me yet so uh i just sat at this i sat in triple a for like another two days not doing anything until the team was able to make a roster move was everyone judging you being like oh you're oh you're a big leaguer i just thought i was lying he said what the fuck are you still doing here man what do you just like want to watch this series like i don't

Yeah, pretty much. Now your team knows. Yeah. They're like, yeah, fuck this guy.

Yeah, I agree with that. I don't think that anything good really comes from like trying to compete with a guy like, oh, like I'm going to beat you out.

If you.

at least in my experience like i just try to help everyone like just being a good teammate you're gonna learn something from the next guy and you don't know who you want people in your corner right you don't want to like get people like oh like this guy don't be he's not a good teammate right yeah i'm sure there are some guys in the minors you can feel it yeah and they get frustrated probably do you guys ever have a moment where you're like it's not gonna work out like i'm i'm done with baseball

pitchers i feel like that's such a mental game it's pretty big yeah um i was fortunate like with when i was with the rangers when i got drafted uh had a really good peak performance coach over there um just pushing like routines pushing all like the the mental stuff um staying confident you know it's weird like a lot of stuff goes hand in hand like confidence and success

like confidence leads to success. Success leads to confidence. It's weird. Um, but yeah, just staying on top of stuff. Um, like I've been, I took up reading a little bit, like, uh, once I had, once I had, uh, my Tommy John should, you know, just finding a way to just get better.

A little bit. What do you read? A lot of self-help books. Stuff that just helps the mind, I guess. Did you go straight from high school to AA? No. It was different. It's different now. That's what everyone does. I went high school to rookie ball, AZL. Okay. And Surprise, Arizona.

I don't think I could have. Oh, really? I did not take up reading at that time in my life.

I mean that, that breath is important. Um, I don't necessarily like love the pitch clock. Um, but you know, you get used to it. Uh, I think in the beginning I was, like, really sped up where, you know, especially out of the bullpen. Like, I was a starter before, so, like, it's not that far of a run or I usually walk out of the bullpen or out of the dugout.

But, yeah, I get on the mound, and now you feel the heart rate going. You feel the adrenaline. So you have to take, like, make sure the breath isn't fake, if that makes sense. I just try to make sure that I'm doing it so the dugout – can see it, even if they can't, like it feels right. Um, and then at that point, you know, you're in the game, like it's, it's, you're going to war.

So my thing, I took it from, uh, Mike Tyson. Um, he's always stared his opponent down in the eyes. And when he, when they broke eye contact, he knew he won. So that's kind of something that I do. Um, I'm not as scary as Mike Tyson, but, but I, it's makes me feel, makes me feel like, Hey, like it's on now.

I don't remember. That went on for like a minute and a half. He just stood there staring. I don't know how the umpire kept that going.

Right.

Sonoha is one of our good relievers.

Somebody, the ball is bound to go to somebody. Yeah. It just goes against odds for the ball to just keep landing in the grass somewhere.

Was that all you had? I gave it everything I had. Like you were letting it go.

That was so judgmental. I mean, I don't know. Like the position players come in and just flip it.

I don't know you're probably in like the mid 70s it's probably yeah I guess if I'm taking it easy probably wait what's that what's the fastest fastball you've thrown 97 okay yeah that's trying to get trying to get it up there that's pretty sick when you guys were in little league were you just dominant oh you just like scaring people

I feel like if you're a major leaguer, you're probably the best Little Leaguer in your town. It just has to correlate that way.

I was like two years above for everything.

me yeah uh new jersey baseball i mean i threw strikes but i threw hard so maybe yeah maybe yeah new jersey like if you're throwing over 90 or you're like nolan ryan yeah so i feel like southern california like they just everyone's a baseball player yeah yeah they just mlb players just sprout out of the ground they're normal for them

I like every bit of like six years old, but yeah, man, not, not good at dodging the ball. I hit in the face.

can you try one time this year because it looks it looks like you look like a pussy I guess yeah but still not if it works though yeah I had a kid try to do that for me in short season like I was

throwing pretty well and he came up to me like someone got on third somehow and he comes up to me he goes Tyler give me the ball I was like why I'm pitching I gotta throw this ball he's like no just give me it trust me and he walks I give him the ball he walks over to third he stands there and like the ball's dead like it's not even in play and he like goes and tags the guy and the umpire's like

what are you doing? So like, I felt stupid. My coach was like, what the fuck are you doing, dude? Like, I'm like, yeah, that's never happening again. I will never let that ever happen.

Yeah. Like it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter at all.

I don't think it's ever worked. Trying to protect you, especially how baseball is now. I feel like Tommy John is just a normal thing. I've definitely tried. I didn't think Philly was going to let me go. I had my whole speech ready to go, too. It was the eighth inning in my CG.

yeah i was i had it already i was sitting down in the tunnel like legs bouncing i'm like if he comes in here and tries to pull me i know what i'm gonna say like there's no way i'm letting this happen um but yeah other other than that like i don't think the managers will ever let you go i even try here like i'm a reliever right yeah nah dude i'm good like let me keep going we need you tomorrow yeah

When I first got here, I was a stick in the mud, man. I was so locked in. I'm like, oh, studying hitters. Because I'm a starter. I was a starter. And I didn't know how it all worked. Now I'm kind of keeping it loose. Yeah. it's it's still the big leagues like you still need to be locked in for the most part.

But like the minor leagues, you know, everyone's like beef gazing or whatever, like just trying to trying to see who's trying to see who's out there, like what the talent's like. Yeah, and now I just mess around. One of our bullpen catchers, he came up from like high A or something, and I just mess around with him the whole time, just try to learn Spanish. He's a Mexican kid.

Try to learn some Spanish, teach him some English, a lot of bad words.

I mean, the kid was in Beloit. Is that what it is? He was in Beloit. And, you know, he misses playing, obviously. I love the dude so far. But you're in the big leagues, dude. He got to see L.A. He's in Chicago right now for a week. Good spreads, good food, good hotels. Does he get treated like he's on the team or is it kind of? I mean, I try to treat him.

I mean, I buy the kid drinks at the hotel. Sometimes I'm like, come here. Where are you going? Let's go. They take care of me. He's out there taking a beating every single night, like bullpens, whatever. I think that's probably, honestly, a pretty cool gig.

fuck.

Dude, I got Shohei leading off. I was like a little nervous, but once you throw the first pitch, you're good.

Yeah. See, that's see, that's where it's different. Like starting, I knew like I knew how to like it was like a build up relieving. It's like you could go in at any point. I don't like we don't have many like set roles with this team. Like everybody could go in at any point. I just know that I'm one of the longer guys. But if they need me in a close game, it's like you got to be ready for that.

And like you feel the blood flowing. I think it's a little nerves, little butterflies, but it's a lot of just, like, the adrenaline. Like, you just feel it, like, leaving your brain, just coursing through your body. It's crazy.

Yeah, yeah. I mean, all the game planning is a starter. I was talking to Matt Strom about it last year. So, yeah, starters is like the SWAT team, man. Like, you get everything, all the planning. Like, you know the map of everything. You know who's hitting what, who isn't. Relievers, you pay attention to the game. But he told me, hey man, just go in and throw your best shit. You got your plan.

Whatever you do to lefties, do it to lefties. Whatever you do to righties, do it to righties. Just go out there and try to throw it as hard as you can. Don't bring the team velo down. Don't bring the bullpen below down and don't bring the ERA up.

Cool.

you know yeah like i want i want you to be my hidden gem that i picked yeah but yeah if you got to hit a couple grand slams and yeah i would i would probably encourage that yeah no i mean i in all seriousness i think like 20 is a cool number but you know i think i have the ability to do more than that but bullpen's been talking we're putting a bounty out for like 35 i'm serious dude we play the hat game out there there's a hat down for you every single at bat

Not to put pressure on you, but that is $20 coming out of all of our pockets.

If you ever need BP, we got you too.

Maybe a little bit of both.

Maybe a little bit of both.

Well, now he's getting bigger, so I think he understands.

Like, I've tried to groom him into a fanatic guy.

Blooper's a fat fuck. Yeah, no, my son's getting bigger. He's getting a little bit more brave with mascots. Okay. And I've had the conversation with my girl, too, like... She thinks I'm lying. I don't know. You guys found an article? Was it in an article that I said that?

She would have told me that. I was playing. How would I know? But yeah, I think he just doesn't fuck with him, man. I've groomed him to like the fanatic, man.

Yeah, that sounds about right. He doesn't watch. Now I hope he watches the games now, but he wasn't watching then. He just went, where's the playground?

Give me some treats. Where's the cotton candy? That's all he cared about.

I couldn't even imagine what it's like for my girlfriend to even try to manage that. Luckily, the Phillies, they had a daycare system going on there.

They had their kid's playroom. He was just there, and she got to sit back and relax for once. But the minor league games, that's got to be miserable. Yeah.

Yeah, you pretty much just turn into a king overnight. Yeah, that's pretty cool.

Pays less.

That's so sick.

They've been trying to get one in Miami.

at the earliest it's like two o'clock really yeah like you're just wired i usually just go home get on the game or something yeah wire myself up a little bit more until the crash happens yeah i usually stay up till about probably one stay at the clubhouse for a little bit while after to try to try to wind down so i don't bring anything home to to my wife yeah that's smart That's a big thing, man.

I think like a lot of guys try to rush out. Like, I don't know what you're rushing to. Cause we, we've been in there. Yeah.

And it's like, you know, like 30 minutes after the game, like where is everyone? Yeah. Yeah. Um, I picked that up from like Nola. Like he had his, he had his little corner, uh, he had a little whiskey corner where a lot of the guys would just go over there and you just decompress, talk the game. Right. It's good for team building too. Yeah.

Uh, A lot of them, mainly Cod. Yeah. Nice. You got a squad? A couple of boys back home. Yeah. Big Soldier, Ben Merckx. I'll shout him out.

I got DeMayonnaise. DeMayonnaise? Yeah, yeah, yeah. A couple of boys from back home. Shout out DeMayonnaise.

Big Soldier. Yeah. Soul, like S-O-U-L. Of course, yeah. Yeah, of course. Love that. Yeah, man. We get going. Those are my late night guys. DeMayonnaise is married now, so he's... He's the daytime guy.

Just mayo everywhere.

Yeah, man. It's a lot of gaming. That's one of my vices.