Major League Baseball is headed into a winter of real uncertainty, and for the Phillies, one of the most important voices in the room isn’t even wearing the uniform anymore.
Garrett Stubbs, who was designated for assignment last week and does not plan to return to Philadelphia in 2027, remains the Phillies’ player representative in the looming labor fight. That means he’ll still be part of the union machinery as the sport braces for a lockout that could cost games for the first time in more than 30 years.
Stubbs spent the last half-decade in Philadelphia as J.T. Realmuto’s backup, and his bat never made much noise.
In 181 total games with the Phillies, he hit .212/.292/.300. The club used a Stubbs-Rafael Marchán tandem behind Realmuto in 2026, and both players finished with sub-.400 OPS marks.
At his year-end press conference, president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said the team would look for a more capable time-share partner next season.
That search has already begun with Stubbs out of the picture, but his role in the labor negotiations is still very much alive.
As a player rep, Stubbs attends union meetings and negotiating sessions, then brings that information back to teammates. He and the other player reps, along with an eight-man executive subcommittee, each get one vote for their teams on whether to accept proposals for new collective bargaining agreements.
So far, the talks have been ugly. The owners’ proposals have all come with a salary cap attached, and the players have made it clear they won’t accept one. Stubbs didn’t hide his frustration with the process, either.
“Watching [MLB deputy commissioner] Dan Halem sit on the other side of the table and go over the proposals that he goes over with the salary cap attached to every single proposal, and obviously they know our stance on the salary cap, it is the biggest waste of time. It’s a charade.
And it’s exhausting sitting there watching him. I’m like, does he even believe some of the things that are coming out of his mouth?”
The public back-and-forth from both sides has only sharpened the sense that this could drag on deep into winter.
Stubbs’ baseball future is less clear, but there are reasons people around the game think he’ll have one. He’s not known for his offense, but he is regarded as a strong defender, excellent at controlling the running game, and highly valued for the way he handles pitchers. He also brings a noticeable presence in the clubhouse, and some have wondered whether coaching could be the next step once his playing career ends.
For now, though, the Phillies’ ex-catcher is in a strange spot: no longer on the roster, but still one of the key people helping shape what comes next for the sport.
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