The Philadelphia Phillies’ Wild Card loss to the Atlanta Braves was no surprise, and the fallout has already started to expose something uglier: an identity crisis and a growing lack of faith around the franchise. Since 2022, when they came within two wins of a World Series title, the Phillies have lived in contender territory. Now, with aging stars and reported tension between some players and the front office, a partial rebuild feels like a real possibility.
That puts a few big names in the spotlight this offseason, including former Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Trea Turner and former Dodgers free agent target Bryce Harper. Both could be on the move, though that comes with a major asterisk: both players hold full no-trade clauses.
Turner is coming off what was easily the worst season of his career. Harper, though, is the more interesting trade chip for any club willing to pay the freight.
And make no mistake, the price would be steep. He’s 34, but he’s still producing around 30 home runs a year and didn’t miss a game in 2026.
On top of that, there are very few teams that could absorb the rest of his deal, which runs five years and $125.7 million.
The Dodgers are one of the few teams who could at least make the math work, and they’ve already tried to lure Harper to Los Angeles before on a Kyle Tucker-esque kind of deal. With Freddie Freeman’s age starting to show, Harper could fit at first base, and that alone is enough to inspire the kind of wild trade idea every fan account loves to fire off on Twitter.
But the latest reporting makes that fantasy look even thinner. Ken Rosenthal noted after the Phillies’ postseason exit that “For Harper to join [another team],” he wrote, “ he likely would require a contract extension.”
That wrinkle matters. This isn’t just about whether the Dodgers could pull off a trade.
They have the money, the prospect capital, and enough roster flexibility to make something work. A Harper-Freeman first base timeshare would be outrageous almost anywhere else, but this is the Dodgers we’re talking about.
The problem is what it would cost them in the long run. One of the major goals of the offseason is getting younger, and shipping out a pile of prospects for a 34-year-old who would be tied to a contract running until age-38 doesn’t exactly fit that mission.
Harper has also asked for an extension from the Phillies before, as recently as last offseason, and he was laughed at for it then because of the years and money still left on his current deal.
So the Dodgers’ chance to land Harper in Dodger blue probably already passed them by. Andrew Friedman has likely made peace with that, and anyone ready to fire off a rage-bait trade proposal should probably pump the brakes.
In Other News...
Dodgers May Already Have Their Next Crucial Depth Pieces Lined Up
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Looking ahead, the organization already appears to have a few internal answers on the horizon. Jacob Kmatz, Jackson Ferris, Zach Ehrhard and Alex Freeland are among the prospects who could help fortify the roster and give the Dodgers the kind of reinforcements that matter most when the inevitable wear and tear shows up again, with 2027 shaping up as the year their value could really come into focus. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Just Got A Telling Skubal Update From Andrew Friedman
Tarik Skubals arrival in Los Angeles gave the Dodgers exactly the kind of late-season boost they were hoping for, and now his future has become one of the biggest issues on their offseason list. The left-hander settled in quickly after being traded during the season, and his postseason work only reinforced why he has become such a coveted name on the market.
Andrew Friedman praised the way Skubal handled the transition and said the Dodgers will keep talking with agent Scott Boras, but there is still a long road ahead before anything is settled. Los Angeles wants to keep him beyond this offseason, though Friedman also made clear that Skubal and his family will ultimately have the final say on where this next chapter goes. [Read more 🡒]
Former Dodgers Are In This World Series For Better And Worse
The Dodgers are out of the 2026 World Series picture after being swept by the Brewers in the NLCS, but there will still be a familiar Los Angeles connection when the Fall Classic begins. Dustin May, once one of the organizations more intriguing pitching talents, is now with Milwaukee, while Jonny DeLuca is on the other side of the bracket with Tampa Bay, giving former Dodgers a chance to leave a mark on October from afar.
There is a tougher twist for the Rays, though, because Gavin Lux and Ryan Pepiot are both unavailable because of injuries, removing two more ex-Dodgers from the championship stage. For a franchise that has spent years cycling through draft picks, trades and roster churn, it is a reminder that the Dodgers reach extends well beyond Chavez Ravine, even when their own season ends before the World Series is within view. [Read more 🡒]