The Phillies’ winter starts with one glaring question: who’s running the dugout in 2027?
After another disappointing finish, Philadelphia’s offseason arrived early when the club fell to the Atlanta Braves in three games in the NLWC. That quick exit sends the Phillies into a busy winter with plenty to sort through, and the manager search sits at the top of the list.
Interim skipper Don Mattingly did a good job helping steady the season, but he was never the choice Dave Dombrowski wanted in the first place. When Rob Thomson was let go, Dombrowski reportedly offered the job to Alex Cora, and Cora declined.
If Cora wants to manage again in 2027, all signs point to Philadelphia as the landing spot. If not, the Phillies still have to find the right person to take the job.
The roster, though, needs just as much attention. One of the biggest problems has been the outfield, where the team keeps trying to patch things together with veteran one-year deals and keeps ending up in the same place.
Brandon Marsh and Justin Crawford are both left-handed bats and still work best in platoons. Adolis Garcia and Bryan De La Cruz are both free agents.
Derek Hill is under team control through 2029 and should be part of the picture. Bryce Harper also shouldn’t be asked to handle right field full-time.
What Philadelphia really needs is an everyday-caliber right-handed outfielder who can bring some balance.
Aidan Miller is another major offseason focus, even if he won’t show up in box scores anytime soon. The organization’s top position player prospect lost almost the entire 2026 season to back issues, which stalled his development badly.
Keeping him healthy is a priority because he remains a key part of the long-term plan. If he had been healthy this year, he likely would have been in the mix in the infield, especially with Alec Bohm and Luis Arraez both hitting free agency.
The bullpen also needs help, even with Jhoan Duran locking down the ninth inning. The problem has been everything in front of him.
Jose Alvarado and Tanner Banks never gave the club steady left-handed production, Brooks Raley was a disaster after arriving at the deadline, and Caleb Kilian went on the injured list after appearing in four of six games. Alex McFarlane looks like a real long-term piece, and Jonathan Bowlan flashed promise before fading late, possibly because of injury.
Outside of those two, there isn’t much that feels settled.
Then there’s Trea Turner, whose 2026 collapse created another huge problem. After leading the NL with a .304 batting average in 2025 and turning in the best defensive season of his career, he fell apart in every phase this past season.
It was the least productive year of his career, with his bat going quiet and his defense sliding near the bottom of the league. He’s signed through 2033, which means this could become a very expensive issue.
A move to the outfield could be on the table, since his speed is still there, and it would also give the Phillies more flexibility as they sort out the roster.
So the checklist is clear: hire the manager, fix the outfield, protect Miller’s future, rebuild the bullpen bridge to Duran, and figure out what to do with Turner. That’s a winter with real work attached to it.
In Other News...
Bryce Harper Trade Talk Puts Phillies At A Painful Crossroads
Bryce Harper has spent enough time in Philadelphia to make even the most speculative trade chatter feel like a jolt, which is why the latest round of offseason rumblings lands so awkwardly for the Phillies. The idea of moving a player who remains central to the franchise picture is jarring on its face, but it also speaks to the kind of roster and payroll questions front offices sometimes have to at least examine, even when the answer is obvious.
Any potential deal would have to pass through Harper himself, thanks to his no-trade clause, and that alone makes the conversation far more complicated than a simple phone call between executives. The scenarios floating around connect the Phillies to clubs such as the Red Sox, Yankees and Athletics, but they also hinge on whether a team would be willing to construct a package strong enough and an extension workable enough to even get the discussion started. [Read more 🡒]
Phillies Suddenly Face An Offseason Decision That Once Felt Untouchable
The Phillies are heading into an offseason that suddenly feels heavier than it did just a few months ago. After an early postseason exit and a season that included a rough start before a managerial change steadied things, the front office now has to sort through more than just roster tweaks. The disappointment has pushed a familiar question back to the center of the discussion: how aggressive should this team be when the window is still open?
Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber are the names hanging over those conversations, which is what makes the moment so unusual for Philadelphia. Both have been central to the clubs identity and success, but the Phillies also know October misses tend to sharpen every decision, especially when contract concerns enter the picture. Even with the change in direction late in the year, the real test may come now, when the organization has to decide whether to stay committed to its core or consider moving parts that once felt untouchable. [Read more 🡒]