The Phillies are staring at a roster reset that is less about a full overhaul and more about filling in the cracks around a veteran core. Dave Dombrowski knows the work ahead is real, and a lot of it starts with depth.
Pitching is the most obvious place where the gaps show up. The bullpen has a strong core, but the left side needs help and there are multiple openings to sort through.
The rotation could use more depth too. But Philadelphia’s offseason puzzle goes beyond the mound.
Several key contributors are heading toward free agency: Alec Bohm, Luis Arraez, Edmundo Sosa and Bryan De La Cruz. Those are important innings, especially for what they provided late in the season and in the postseason. Whether the Phillies bring some of them back or find other bench and depth options, that part of the roster matters if they want to hold up over a full season.
That’s because the club also wants to use next season to manage its veterans more carefully. Dombrowski has already begun discussing adjusted roles for 2027, and some of that message has gone directly to players. The idea is simple: build in more rest so those veterans are fresher when the stretch run arrives.
“One of the things we need to do,” Dombrowski said, via Matt Gelb and Charlotte Varnes of The Athletic (subscription required), “is to create some more days off for our veteran players to keep them more rested.”
That plan becomes a lot easier if the Phillies can settle their roster properly. Right now, first base appears to be the one spot that is clearly mapped out.
Bryce Harper is set to be there, while Kyle Schwarber is expected to get about 30 games at the position. That would give Harper time to move into Schwarber’s designated hitter spot and get more recovery time.
Schwarber will work at first base in spring training to see how it looks in practice.
What’s notable is that Bohm is not included in those first-base plans. He handled the switch well after Arraez was acquired from the San Francisco Giants, but his future with Philadelphia is still unsettled.
J.T. Realmuto is also part of the larger workload conversation. The Phillies would like to ease the burden on him behind the plate, and when Dombrowski told him he could catch less in 2027, Realmuto sounded open to the idea.
“Physically, I feel as good as I’ve ever felt,” Realmuto replied, per Dombrowski. “Mentally, with all the added responsibilities, I feel more drained.”
There are still more questions to answer, including where Trea Turner fits. He’ll have a chance to claim the shortstop job, but moving to the outfield is still on the table.
Philadelphia also has a need for another everyday outfielder, ideally a right-handed bat. The free-agent market is thin, but Seiya Suzuki and Randy Arozarena are two names that would fit the bill.
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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 🡒]