Bryce Harper’s dream of leading the Philadelphia Phillies to their first World Series title since 2008 ended with a dispiriting thud. If Philly fans were hoping that their team's stirring, season-saving rally in Game 2 might spark a Red October run, those hopes lasted all of 24 hours, as the Phillies didn't even bother to show up for a do-or-die Game 3 on Thursday night.
And so begins one of the most fascinating offseasons in all of baseball. This felt like the last dance for this Phillies core, with several key players set to hit free agency and an aging roster in desperate need of renovation (and a bloated payroll in desperate need of some work of its own). Bowing out without even so much as a single series win all but ensures that big changes are coming this winter.
For this list, we’re focusing on players who realistically could find new homes this offseason. So while it’d be great if the Phillies could dump Aaron Nola or Trea Turner on someone else, they’re most likely staying in Philadelphia.
Let’s start our list with someone who, believe it or not, Phillies fans might miss having in their infield.
3B Alec Bohm
Unless the two sides agree on a one-year, prove-it deal this winter, then we imagine Bohm’s time in Philadelphia is over. He arrived with high expectations as the 2018 draft’s No. 3 overall pick, and we won’t even call him a “bust” because he has an above-average OPS over his seven seasons in the Majors.
To be clear: Bohm is a disappointment relative to where he was drafted, but “bust” is too strong. He’s still only 30 and remains a strong run producer; he finished with 88 RBI this year, the third time in four seasons he’s cleared the 80-RBI mark. We’re especially curious to see if teams view him as a third baseman or someone who can make the full-time switch to first.
2B Bryson Stott
Stott is probably the strangest pick on our list given that he just posted a career-high .334 on-base percentage and has significantly improved his plate discipline. That said, he only has one year of team control left after this season, and he turns 29 in October.
Now is the time for the Phillies to maximize whatever they can get for Stott via trade. Assuming that the Yankees move on from Jazz Chisholm Jr., what would they be willing to give up for the former UNLV standout?
Manager Don Mattingly
This says less about Mattingly's specific performance as interim manager this year and more about broader organizational turmoil in Philadelphia.
Yes, Mattingly helped pull this team from the fire after taking over for Rob Thomson back in April. And it's not primarily his fault that the Phillies once again flamed out in October; you can blame Dave Dombrowski's flawed roster for that. But he also made plenty of questionable decisions of his own, in both the regular season and in the Wild Card series, which was a big reason why the team failed to lift the interim tag before the playoffs began. And considering just how badly Philly is in need of a reset — plus the potential for major changes at the top — it would be a surprise if Mattingly returned for another year.
INF Luis Arraez
FanSided’s Pat Ragazzo reported this week that an American League executive believes Arraez could land a five-year, $100 million contract. Well, if the Yankees don’t want Stott, maybe they’d burn that much money to land a three-time batting champion.
To be clear, we love Arraez and his throwback style of hitting singles and avoiding strikeouts. But there is no realistic way the Phillies are going to shell out $20 million per year for the four-time All-Star, especially not when they’re already feeling the ramifications of the Turner megadeal.
If Dombrowski wants our opinion, we’d tell him to offer Arraez a two-year, $30 million contract with a full no-trade clause.
RHP Tanner Banks
Banks still has a few years left of team control, but he’s also run out of Minor League options. Posting a 6.19 ERA over 36.1 innings won’t win you a lot of support when it’s time to finalize the 40-man roster ahead of free agency.
If you’re unfamiliar with Banks’ story, he was a 2014 18th-round pick of the White Sox who spent nearly a decade in the Minors. Kudos to him for making it this far, and he does offer value as a depth lefty reliever. But the Phillies can, and must, do better for their 2027 bullpen.
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