The Philadelphia Phillies entered the offseason fresh off a gut-wrenching NLDS loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Major questions swirled around the fan base. Yes, the Phillies were probably the stiffest competition L.A. faced in the National League. No, the series never felt particularly close, even if every game was hard-fought.
Kyle Schwarber’s free agency was the main storyline at the start of the winter, but more than re-signing or not re-signing Schwarber, it was clear that Philadelphia needed to add to its lineup — not simply run it back. Now, a little less than two weeks into the new year, we’re still waiting on important dominoes to fall in South Philly. Here’s how the offseason has panned out so far, and what the Phillies front office can still make happen.
What moves have the Phillies made so far?
Phillies’ key offseason transactions | Date |
|---|---|
Signed Kyle Schwarber to five-year, $150 million contract | 12/9/25 |
Acquired RHP Yoniel Curet from Rays in exchange for RHP Tommy McCollum | 12/10/25 |
Signed RHP Bryse Wilson to Minor League contract | 12/12/25 |
Signed OF Adolis García to one-year, $10 million contract | 12/16/25 |
Signed RHP Brad Keller to two-year, $22 million contract | 12/18/25 |
Acquired LHP Kyle Backhus from Diamondbacks in exchange for OF Avery Owusu-Asiedu | 12/19/25 |
Acquired RHP Jonathan Bowlan from Royals in exchange for LHP Matt Strahm | 12/19/25 |
Signed RHP Zach Pop to $900K/$250K MLB/MiLB contract | 12/22/25 |
(You can view the full list of transactions at MLB.com, as we excluded a number of Minor League signings and Rule 5 Draft selections.)
The real highlights start with re-signing Schwarber, which again was a top, top priority. Several teams placed competitive bids for the reigning NL MVP runner-up, but Schwarber stuck in Philadelphia on a five-year contract. He will continue to anchor the top half of the lineup and supply 50-plus home run potential on a yearly basis.
That was not the only impactful free agent addition for the Phillies, however. Brad Keller arrives in Philadelphia after a career-best season with the Cubs, in which he posted a 2.07 ERA and 0.96 WHIP across 69.2 innings out of the bullpen. He figures to operate as the primary setup man to Jhoan Durán, with Orion Kerkering and José Alvarado also manning key roles.
Adolis García arrives in Philadelphia at a diminished value, but he can still rip it: 19 home runs, 75 RBI and 13 stolen bases with a .665 OPS last season. García strikes out a ton, but his hard-hit rate signals sustained upside and he’s an excellent defender in right field. He should prove to be a sizable upgrade over Nick Castallanos with his glove alone, not to mention if García can unearth some of that offensive pixie dust from Texas’ 2023 World Series run.
On the surface, this just about settles Philadelphia’s depth chart — at least positionally, with Schwarber back at DH, García replacing Castellanos in right field and top prospect Justin Crawford expected to command starting reps in center field. After passing on platoon bats like Rob Refsnyder, signs point to Brandon Marsh and Otto Kemp sharing a lefty/righty platoon in left field.
That said, just running back last year's lineup, minus some dead weight, was never going to be good enough. Phillies president Dave Dombrowski still has work left to do. Here are the biggest questions still facing Philadelphia.
Tough choices loom for the Phillies
Is Alec Bohm’s Phillies tenure nearing its end?
Alec Bohm was an All-Star in 2024 and appeared to blossom into the cornerstone third baseman Philadelphia so hoped he would become. Then his production plummeted down the stretch of that season and he wound up getting benched in the playoffs. This past season was solid enough from Bohm — .741 OPS and 102 OPS+ — but his defensive shortcomings and lack of power are huge limiting factors.
Now, Bohm enters his final year under contract. With Schwarber back, it feels like the only path for major change in Philadelphia — and yes, the Phillies need to shake things up — is a trade of Bohm, which could open to door, both financially and positionally, for a marquee signing like Bo Bichette.
Is there a significant market for Bohm’s services? Almost certainly not, but his $10 million expiring salary, as an above-average hitter, shouldn’t be too hard to dump if it sets up a bigger move. The Bichette smoke is real, and it has Phillies fans excited about what could come to pass in the days or weeks ahead. But trading Bohm would be the biggest signal that the Phillies are going for it. Going for something.
How does the back end of Philadelphia’s rotation shake out?
Philadelphia has three rotation locks in Cristopher Sánchez, Jesús Luzardo and Aaron Nola. Zack Wheeler will begin the season on IL as he recovers from elbow surgery, but he should rejoin the fray eventually. What happens with that fifth spot? And what about the fourth spot in the interim?
Taijuan Walker made huge strides last season and could give the Phillies a few half-decent starts to begin the season, but if he’s an every-day starter for six or seven months, it’s a problem. The Phillies also have No. 1 prospect Andrew Painter looming; most folks expected the righty to graduate to the MLB rotation last season, but he struggled with command in the Minors and never made the leap. Is he ready for the big leagues after posting a 5.40 ERA in 22 Triple-A starts? It feels like he could use a bit more seasoning — a bit more distance from his Tommy John surgery.
So, odds are the Phillies don’t begin the season with both Walker and Painter on the Opening Day roster. In fact, Painter should start in the Minors, full stop. Expect the Phillies to scour the market for affordable stopgaps accordingly. Re-signing Ranger Suárez isn’t entirely out of the equation, especially if Bichette falls through, but it’s improbable. Trade candidates, like Mitch Keller and Brady Singer, could make sense. The Phillies can also purchase from the discount rack in free agency, with names like Chris Bassitt, Lucas Giolito and Justin Verlander still available.
My prediction: Sánchez, Luzardo, Nola, [Insert One-Year Veteran Contract] and Walker is your Opening Day rotation, with Painter (and Wheeler) waiting in the wings.
Is the JT Realmuto era over?
For a couple months, it felt like JT Realmuto re-signing in Philadelphia was damn near a guarantee. Last season was a step back for the former All-Star, but he’s still the best catcher on the market and his relationship with Philly’s pitching staff is deep-rooted.
In recent days, however, the winds have started blowing in the opposite direction. ESPN’s David Schoenfield lists Tampa Bay, Miami and Pittsburgh as potential alternative landing spots for Realmuto. Jon Heyman of the New York Post said the Phillies and Realmuto are locked in a standoff.
If the Phillies re-sign Realmuto, it probably nips that whole Bichette option in the bud. Philadelphia is too budget-conscious right now to sign both, especially with so much money coming off the books next winter. We may need to wait a year for the Phillies to land a marquee external free agent. That said, if Realmuto is out, the Phillies might have the flexibility to meet Bichette’s high asking price.
If the Phillies can put Realmuto's money toward landing Bichette (or another positional upgrade), the Phillies would need to pivot to alternative solutions behind home plate. Neither Rafael Marchán nor Garrett Stubbs are every-day MLB catchers. The trade route is probably easiest, with Twins backstop Ryan Jeffers frequently mentioned in the realm of hypotheticals.
How do the Phillies stack up against the Dodgers?
FanSided’s Zachary Rotman ranks Philadelphia No. 3 on his list of L.A.’s biggest threats, trailing only the Toronto Blue Jays and the Milwaukee Brewers — the No. 1 seeds in the AL and NL, respectively, last season.
That mostly checks out. The Blue Jays are the clear powerhouse in the American League right now, with a chance to get even scarier if Kyle Tucker signs. Philadelphia put up more of a fight than Milwaukee in the postseason, but the Brewers’ roster is far deeper right now. The Phillies just have more questions in need of answering, particularly when it comes to Realmuto and/or a potential infield upgrade. The Milwaukee lineup is nails all the way through; the back half of Philly’s lineup is lacking right now.
There is a world in which the Phillies end the offseason as the clear second-best team in the NL, with a real shot to unseat the two-time reigning champs from Hollywood. But Dave Dombrowski needs to do more. He needs to deliver Bichette, which would not only improve the top of Philly’s lineup but also allow Philly to slide García back a few spots to anchor the back half. If the Phillies can sign Bichette and find even a replacement-level offensive catcher, then we're really cooking with grease.
The bullpen is rock solid, provided good health. Keller is a buzzsaw in the setup spot; the one-two punch of he and Durán might be the best bullpen duo in the NL. Kyle Backhus and Jonathan Bowlan are less proven, but both have the potential to blossom into dependable middle-relief weapons in addition to Tanner Banks and Orion Kerkering, both of whom produced last season.
Philly’s core group keeps getting older — the shelf lives of Trea Turner, Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber are not infinite — but barring a dramatic decline from any of their core pieces, the Phillies should be right back atop the NL East with a real chance to push deep into October. How far the Phillies can go, however, will depend on how aggressive Dombrowski is willing to get in the coming days, weeks and months.