Phillies
Phillies Acquire LHP Kyle Backhus from Diamondbacks
Mike Lipinski has been covering Philadelphia sports since 2005. Previous stops include Section 247 Sports, My MMA News, and more. He has been a part of the Sports Talk Philly team since 2019. He is the editor of Philadelphia Phillies content, co-editor for college football covering mainly the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, and dabbles in all other sports. Follow him on social media channels -Twitter & Threads- @TheMikeLipinski
All posts by Mike LipinskiPublished19 Dec 2025
The Philadelphia Phillies have acquired left-handed pitcher Kyle Backhus from the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for minor league outfielder Avery Owusu-Asiedu, the team announced Friday. The move increases Philly’s 40-man roster from 37 to 38.
Backhus, 27, appeared in 32 games for Arizona last season, pitching 25.1 innings with a 4.62 ERA, 22 strikeouts, 2 saves, and a 1.42 WHIP. He provides a left-handed arm to help fill the gap left when Matt Strahm was traded earlier on Friday.
Owusu-Asiedu, 22, heads to Arizona after splitting time between Single-A and High-A, showing speed and some pop in his bat.
The Phillies now have another lefty option in the bullpen as they prepare for Opening Day.
