With the calendar set to flip to September, it’s the perfect time to do a Phillies-centric notebook. The Philadelphia Phillies enter the final month of the regular season six games over the New York Mets for first place in the NL East.

After getting swept by the Mets at Citi Field in three games to start the last week of August, the Phillies returned home and took three out of four games from the Atlanta Braves.

Meanwhile, the Mets fell flat on their face against the Miami Marlins, losing three out of four games at Citi Field. According to FanDuel Sportsbook, the Phillies are -1500 to win the NL East, while the Mets are +1100.

Both NL East teams will hit the road to start September, as the Phillies will face the Milwaukee Brewers (3 games), while the Mets will play the Detroit Tigers (3 games). If the Phillies can have a good showing against one of the premier teams in the majors, it could give them the boost they need to capture the division crown.

Before the Phillies take on the Brewers, they were busy making a few additions to their roster for the playoff push, which we will discuss below.

  • Ahead of Sunday night’s series finale against the Braves, the Phillies announced that they signed free-agent right-handed pitcher Walker Buehler to a minor league deal and assigned him immediately to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. The Boston Red Sox shockingly released the 31-year-old Buehler on Friday after recently sending him to the bullpen. Buehler signed a one-year, $21.05 million contract with the Red Sox this offseason, but he never could find his groove on the mound. In 23 games (22 starts), the veteran hurler had a 7-7 record with a 5.45 ERA.

 

  • According to Matt Gelb of The Athletic, the Phillies plan for the ex-Red Sox starter to make his debut against the Kansas City Royals on September 12. He adds that Buehler will make one start at Triple-A Lehigh Valley, and the Phils will try out a six-man rotation.

Phillies plan for Walker Buehler to start Sept. 12 vs. KC. They’ll try a six-man rotation down the stretch. He’ll start once at Triple A.

They’re also calling up Garrett Stubbs tomorrow when rosters expand.

— Matt Gelb (@mattgelb.bsky.social) August 31, 2025 at 6:24 PM

  • Gelb also reports that the Phillies will call up veteran catcher Garrett Stubbs from Triple-A Lehigh Valley when rosters officially expand to 28 players. This season at Triple-A, the 32-year-old Stubbs is hitting .265 with eight home runs and 50 RBI (71 games).

 

  • Along with Stubbs, the southpaw relief pitcher Tim Mayza will be joining the Phillies in Milwaukee, per Ty Daubert of Phillies Nation. The Phillies claimed Mayza off waivers from the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday. The 33-year-old reliever has spent most of the 2025 season on the 60-day injured list with a lat strain and teres major strain that he sustained in April. Before going on the IL, Mayza made seven relief appearances with the Pirates, where he had a 2.89 ERA. The Allentown, PA native, recently went on a rehab assignment, appearing in four minor league games (two at Triple-A Indianapolis and two at Single-A Bradenton).