Phillies are now the first MLB team to use Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy to improve their players’ recovery and performance

Drew Smith
February 19, 2026
Phillies
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The Phillies are officially entering their futuristic recovery era. Philadelphia has become the first MLB team to implement medical-grade Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy as part of a multi-year agreement with NexGen Hyperbaric.

In simple terms, players step inside a pressurized chamber and breathe 100 percent oxygen, which is designed to increase oxygen delivery throughout the body, accelerate healing, and fight off inflammation and infection.

This is not some mall wellness pod or Instagram influencer gadget. According to head athletic trainer Paul Buchheit, this is a full medical-grade treatment. He made it clear this is different than anything else currently in their recovery arsenal.

Phillies are now the first MLB team to use Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT)

Following a growing trend in professional sports, the Philadelphia Phillies are now the first MLB team to use Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) to improve their players’ recovery and performance: https://t.co/u8I0kg1lcP
— NBC10 Philadelphia (@NBCPhiladelphia) February 18, 2026

The mobile hyperbaric chamber is currently set up in Clearwater for spring training and will travel north with the team once the regular season begins.

NexGen’s CEO Jonathan Rotella described the system as purpose-built for pro teams that are serious about innovation in player care. Translation: the Phillies are trying to squeeze every possible ounce of performance and recovery out of their roster.

And that makes sense when you look at the roster demographics. In 2025, the Phillies had the second-oldest lineup in baseball. The average age of Phillies hitters was 30.3 years old, trailing only the Dodgers at 30.7.

When your core includes Bryce Harper in his 30s, Kyle Schwarber in his 30s, J.T. Realmuto pushing the mid-30s, and a handful of veteran bats around them, recovery is not optional. It is survival. No wonder they are experimenting with new ways to keep guys fresh over 162 games.

Realmuto already sounds like a believer. He told NBC10 that whenever he uses the oxygen therapy, his sleep scores spike for three or four days. Even after a tough night game, he says he sleeps better and feels like he recovers faster. If that helps a 35-year-old catcher survive the grind of the season, it is worth exploring.

The Eagles and Flyers have already dipped into hyperbaric therapy, and Olympic athletes like Mikaela Shiffrin use it as well. Now the Phillies are planting their flag as the first MLB club to make it part of their regular routine.

When your lineup is built around veterans and your window is still very much open, you look for every competitive edge possible. Hyperbaric oxygen might not fix the cleanup spot or magically add five miles per hour to a fastball, but if it keeps legs fresh in September and bats alive in October, it could quietly become one of the most important additions the Phillies made all year.