Phillies Rob Thomson decision should put these 3 players on the trade block

In a season full of so much promise, the Philadelphia Phillies were bounced in four games in the NLDS by their NL East rivals, the New York Mets. Philadelphia had its best regular season in over a decade but is forced to watch the NLCS from the sidelines for the first time since 2021.

With how poorly this season ended, change, of some sort, felt inevitable. Would firing Kevin Long, the team's hitting coach, fix their issues? They did struggle mightily offensively in the postseason in the games that they lost and ended their 2023 campaign in a similar fashion. Would firing manager Rob Thomson be worthwhile? It isn't exactly Thomson's fault that most of his position players and his entire bullpen failed to show up, but he didn't manage his best series either.

Instead of firing someone, Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski made the decision to not only bring their entire coaching staff back but extend Thomson through the 2026 campaign.

Dombrowski choosing to bring the entire coaching staff back makes one thing abundantly clear - he does not believe their early postseason exit was because of the coaching staff. It can be debated as to whether Dombrowski is right or not, but that's clearly his belief. If the coaches don't deserve blame for the Phillies' shortcomings, then that has to be on the players, right?

Running back virtually the exact same team with the exact same coaching staff after another disappointing exit shouldn't be an option. If the coaching staff is coming back, major changes need to be made involving players. Obviously, core pieces like Bryce Harper, Zack Wheeler, and Trea Turner (to name a few) aren't going anywhere, but the Phillies do have movable players who can be dealt to shake things up. Here are three logical ones for Dave Dombrowski to consider parting with.

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3. Johan Rojas hasn't done enough to earn a starting role

Phillies center fielders ranked tied for 23rd in the majors with an 80 WRC+. A big reason for that is Johan Rojas started a majority of their games at that position. Rojas, to his credit, is an excellent defensive outfielder, but his bat leaves a lot to be desired.

When their potent lineup is hitting as they're capable, Rojas' deficiencies at the plate are hard to notice and easy to gloss over. When they struggle, though, as they did in October, it's a lot easier to notice that Rojas gives them next to nothing as a hitter.

He's a 24-year-old center fielder with tons of speed and an outstanding glove. If there's a team out there interested in taking a chance on him in exchange for a proven commodity, the Phillies should jump at that opportunity and not look back.

Again, Rojas is a fine starting center fielder if the other eight hitters are hitting. He'd be an excellent fourth outfielder. Their offense failing to produce at an elite level in October makes starting Rojas tough to justify. Trading him while he has a decent amount of value considering his age, defense, and club control, in exchange for something to make them better in 2025 would be worthwhile.

2. Brandon Marsh is very expendable in the right deal

This Phillies lineup is littered with talent from top to bottom, which makes how they lost so frustrating. Their offense full of good hitters simply did not show up. One of those hitters who failed to join the party was Brandon Marsh, who went just 1-for-13 in the series.

Marsh is what he is at this point. He has a bit of power, can steal some bases, and is a strong defender. He's going to strike out a ton, can be a streaky hitter, and can only play against righties. He's a valuable player to have, but is also an expendable one.

The 26-year-old is set to enter his first year of arbitration this offseason and is under control through the 2027 campaign, making him the cheap and valuable player teams covet. What if the Phillies can find a way to trade Marsh, their No. 8 hitter who can only play against righties, as part of a package for a big bat like Brent Rooker or Luis Robert Jr.? That feels like a no-brainer. Marsh won't get you the star on his own, but he's an easy player to replace in the lineup and would have a good amount of trade value.

1. Alec Bohm's postseason struggles are cause for concern

It's time to have a talk about Alec Bohm. During the regular season, he's blossomed into a terrific player. He just had his best full season in 2024, slashing .280/.332/.448 with 15 home runs and 97 RBI. His defense is still a problem, and he doesn't have as much power as Phillies fans would like, but he's been extremely clutch at the plate and finds a way to put the ball in play more often than not.

Alec Bohm in the regular season is a building block. Alec Bohm in the postseason, however, is a player Rob Thomson didn't shy away from benching in Game 2 of the NLDS. Bohm went 1-for-13 in the NLDS, and has slashed .214/.295/.333 with two home runs and 14 RBI in 132 plate appearances in his postseason career. In other words, he's a shell of himself when the pressure is on.

Relying on Bohm to be the hitter everyone expects him to be in October feels like a worthwhile gamble to make, but what if the Phillies can land a big bat in a deal on the market?

Admittedly, it's unlikely that the Phillies will trade Bohm considering his age, years of control, and the fact that he's an All-Star-level player, but his postseason struggles have to be a concern, right? If the Phillies want to start hitting in October, seeing what they can get for a player who has a history of struggles in October might be a good start. If nothing worthwhile is offered, running it back isn't the worst thing.