After their best regular season finish since 2011, the Philadelphia Phillies had high hopes for the 2024 postseason. What they got, however, was a crushing and shocking defeat from a divisional rival, the New York Mets. The Phillies flamed out in four games, in what was an overall non-competitive series. Even with a first-round bye, the Phillies ended this postseason the same way they finished the previous two: at home.
So, where do they go from here? The core of the team, which includes Bryce Harper, Trea Turner, Zack Wheeler and J.T. Realmuto, seems to be in place. There are some decisions to be made, however, about players like Brandon Marsh, Alec Bohm, and even Nick Castellanos and Bryson Stott.
The Phillies could be suitors for star outfielder Juan Soto this offseason, given his connections with his former teammates Harper and Turner, and former hitting coach, Kevin Long. If Soto is not acquired, though, the Phillies will likely make moves to improve around the margins as opposed to looking for star power. President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski stressed the depth of the Phillies roster in his end-of-season press conference, noting how the team led the league with eight all-stars this season.
Where could upgrades be made? For starters, the Phillies would like to find a solution to their center field problem. The team started Johan Rojas in three of the four games against the Mets, but he provided little offensive production. That will certainly be a spot in the lineup Dombrowski and the Phillies look to upgrade. Rojas will likely remain on the roster for his elite defense, but perhaps in a diminished role.
Furthermore, third baseman Alec Bohm could be on the move. After being benched in game two of the Mets series, questions spiraled about the 27-year-old’s future in Philadelphia. With top prospect Aidan Miller waiting in the wings, Bohm may play for another team next season. Any trade for Bohm would be interesting given his salary, so keep an eye out for a potential deal there.
On the pitching side, expect minimal bullpen moves, like re-signing Jeff Hoffman and Carlos Estevez, but nothing extreme with that group already being one of the best in baseball. As for the starting rotation, the top four [Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Ranger Suarez and Cristopher Sanchez] will remain the same as all are under contract next season. The fifth spot, though, is where moves could be made. Andrew Painter, one of the best pitching prospects in all of baseball, should be ready to return to the mound in 2025 after undergoing Tommy John surgery two seasons ago. Until he is ready, however, the team will need a steady fifth starter, a position that struggled immensely towards the end of last season. Look for the team to be active in free agency and the trade market for a filler player at that spot.
When all is said and done, the Phillies roster will likely look fairly similar in 2025 as it did in 2024. The bottom line is the Phillies’ stars need to step up. Of course, they cannot do it all alone, but their production this postseason simply was not enough. Dombrowski and Co. will make moves where they can, but until the big guns produce, it will be hard to bring a World Series trophy back to Philadelphia.