Overview
- Banks began a Triple‑A rehab assignment on Aug. 26 and became eligible to come off the 60‑day injured list in early September, but the Phillies kept him in the minors to increase his workload.
- The team has scheduled a roughly three‑inning, 40‑pitch outing next for Banks as it tests his stamina and readiness for multi‑inning duty.
- Manager Don Mattingly said the club is viewing Banks as a length option who could pitch two to three innings rather than a situational lefty because the big‑league bullpen already includes three left‑handed relievers.
- Any activation would require adding Banks back to the 40‑man roster and must occur before the regular season ends, with Sept. 25 cited as the practical cutoff for roster moves.
- Parallel rebuilds are under way for other arms—Nestor Cortes is scheduled for a Single‑A appearance in his build and Caleb Kilian is progressing in throws—while Banks’ rehab will determine whether he can provide short‑term bullpen depth late in the season.