The Phillies have plenty on their offseason plate, and arbitration is one of the first financial hurdles they have to clear.
After the three-game Wild Card Round loss to the Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia enters the winter with roster holes to patch and a manager still to hire. There is money coming off the books, but some of that cash will go right back out to keep key players in place.
MLB Trade Rumors projected the four biggest arbitration salaries for the Phillies, and the list includes a mix of important regulars and one high-leverage arm the club may not want to live without.
Jhoan Duran sits at the top of the group with a projected $10.9 million salary, a steep jump from the $7.5 million he and the team agreed to last year to avoid arbitration. In a bullpen that needs help, the Phillies have a strong case to keep him no matter the price.
At the same time, there will be voices who argue his value is high enough that a trade should be on the table. But with Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, Trea Turner and Zack Wheeler still anchoring the roster, Philadelphia remains in win-now mode, and a shutdown closer is a major part of that equation.
Bryson Stott is next in line after putting together the kind of season that earns a meaningful raise. He was already a dependable defender at second base, and now he can add third base to the mix while also showing he can handle shortstop.
That kind of flexibility matters, and so does the bat he brought in the second half, when he posted a wRC+ of 118 and ranked among the most productive hitters in the MLB. Stott looks like exactly the sort of two-way player the Phillies can build around.
Brandon Marsh had a season that came apart in dramatic fashion. The first half was everything Philadelphia could have wanted: he hit like one of the best bats in baseball, earned his first MLB All-Star Game selection and locked down an everyday role.
Then the bottom fell out. Marsh was the least productive hitter in the MLB in the second half, finishing with a wRC+ of 31.
Even so, he remains part of the club’s left-handed outfield group and will be back for the 2027 season.
Derek Hill rounds out the projected list at $1.5 million, and that number makes him look like an easy call to keep. Philadelphia picked him up from the Chicago White Sox after Adolis Garcia and Johan Rojas suffered season-ending injuries, and he quickly became a useful piece.
Hill gave the lineup some balance as a right-handed hitter and brought strong defense across all three outfield spots. At that price, he profiles as a smart platoon option and someone who could earn even more playing time next year.
In Other News...
Phillies Manager Search Just Took A Telling Turn
The Phillies managerial search has already taken on a different shape than many around the club expected. Since being fired by the Red Sox, Alex Cora has turned down the job twice, which has pushed president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski to broaden the process and look beyond the name that had long seemed to sit near the top of the list.
Now the focus shifts to a wider pool that includes internal candidates as well as several former managers and other baseball figures with varying levels of experience. No official decision has been announced, and the added intrigue is less about a final answer than the direction of the search itself, which now feels far more open than it did when Cora was viewed as the obvious fit. [Read more 🡒]
Phillies Could Be Headed For An Offseason Shakeup Off The Field
The Phillies may be staring at an offseason front-office wrinkle before the roster even gets its usual winter makeover. Sam Fuld, who has been a key part of Philadelphias business side after previously serving as a general manager, is reportedly under consideration for the Athletics top executive job, a search that also includes Jared Banner, Matt Kleine, Taylor Smith and Rob Cerfolio.
A decision from the Athletics is expected soon, and if Fuld gets the nod, Philadelphia would suddenly have to fill a significant vacancy in the front office. For a club already heading into an important winter, losing a respected executive from the organization would add another layer to an offseason that figures to be busy well beyond the field. [Read more 🡒]
Phillies Suddenly Face A Manager Search They Couldn't Afford To Lose
A managerial reset had already been looming for the Phillies, and the search got more complicated with Alex Cora passing on the job for 2027. President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski had identified Cora as the organizations preferred next manager after the firing of Rob Thomson and Don Mattinglys interim stint, a sign the club wanted a proven hand to guide an aging, expensive roster still built to chase a World Series run.
Now Philadelphia has to pivot again, with one of its top choices no longer available and little room for error in a decision that could shape the next phase of the roster. The Phillies title window remains open, but the pressure only grows when the front office is trying to align a high-priced core with the right clubhouse voice, and the search for that voice just became a lot less straightforward. [Read more 🡒]