The Phillies head into the winter with a familiar problem and a familiar sort of pressure. They’ve been a consistent playoff team over the last five years, but the finish line has kept slipping away, and after three straight early exits, this offseason feels like one where something has to give.
That doesn’t mean a wholesale teardown is coming. The roster still comes with a veteran core and plenty of money tied up in key spots.
It also comes with a few contracts that, based on production, are not exactly easy to love. That kind of financial shape can narrow a team’s options fast, especially with uncertainty hanging over the winter as the owners and players battle over a new CBA.
So the Phillies may have to get creative. And based on comments Dave Dombrowski made during his year-end press conference, there’s a clear theme developing: the club wants to lean more on internal help.
Among the young players in the organization, Aidan Miller stands out as the most likely to matter by 2027. The infielder would probably have been part of the conversation this year if not for a back injury that kept him out for most of the season.
Now healthy, he finished the year strong, and his value goes beyond the bat. Miller can handle both shortstop and third base, which gives the Phillies a useful layer of flexibility.
That versatility matters because the infield picture is far from settled. Philadelphia is giving Trea Turner another chance to show he can stick at shortstop next season, but after a rough defensive year, the margin for patience figures to be limited.
At third base, Alec Bohm is headed toward free agency, and Miller has already gotten work there. If the Phillies want a younger answer in that spot, he could be the one.
Bryon Rincon is another internal name in the mix for the infield, giving the team at least one more possible path if it decides to solve more of these issues from within.
And that appears to be the direction they’re willing to explore. Philadelphia getting younger has to be part of the equation, and after bringing up Justin Crawford and Andrew Painter last year, it will be worth watching how many more prospects the Phillies decide to test this coming season.
In Other News...
Phillies May Have Pulled Off Another Pitching Bargain With Jess Luzardo
Jess Luzardos arrival in Philadelphia already looks like the kind of move that can age well for a contender. The Phillies landed him in a trade that sent Emaarion Boyd and Starlyn Caba the other way, then committed even further by extending him on a five-year, $135 million deal that begins in 2027 and includes a sixth-year team option. For a club that has not been shy about investing in pitching, Luzardo fits the profile of a buy-now, pay-later arm with real upside.
The early return has only sharpened that impression. Luzardo was strong in 2026, posting a 2.86 ERA over 179.2 innings and giving the Phillies the kind of stability they value deep into a season. Inside the organization, there is also a sense that their coaching staff helped unlock more of what he could become, which only raises the possibility that Philadelphia may have found another pitching bargain before the market fully caught up. [Read more 🡒]
Phillies Face A Costly Jhoan Duran Decision Sooner Than Expected
Jhoan Duran has already become the kind of late-inning arm a contender can build around, and for the Phillies that comes with an uncomfortable reality. He has only one year of team control left before reaching free agency after the 2027 season, which means a pitcher who has quickly established himself as the clubs closer may be headed toward a big-money conversation sooner than expected. Around the league, recent deals for elite relievers like Edwin Daz and Josh Hader have reset the market, and Duran is now in the conversation for that same tier of long-term value.
Philadelphia has not announced any extension, but the stakes are clear enough for a front office that has shown a willingness to spend when it believes the fit is right. A record-setting relief contract is at least a possibility if the Phillies decide Duran is worth locking up beyond his current window, though the shape of any future deal could be influenced by the upcoming collective bargaining agreement negotiations. For now, the question is not whether Duran matters to the Phillies, but how expensive it will be to keep him at the back of the bullpen. [Read more 🡒]
Phillies Bullpen Is Taking Shape But One Need Still Looms
The Phillies have already made one major move this offseason by bringing in Don Mattingly on a two-year contract, and now the attention is turning to the relief corps. Team president Dave Dombrowski has said he feels good about several of the pitchers already in place, which gives Philadelphia a useful base as it tries to sort out the late innings and build a bullpen that can hold up over a long season.
Left-handed relief, though, remains the obvious gap. Philadelphia is looking at a range of free-agent options, even as the market carries extra uncertainty because of the possibility of a lockout. For a club trying to sharpen its roster before spring, the bullpen picture is improving, but one key piece still has to be found. [Read more 🡒]