3 Bold Phillies Offseason Predictions After Latest Crushing Playoff Defeat

That was excruciating.

The Philadelphia Phillies were eliminated from the postseason on Thursday after relief pitcher Orion Kerkering botched a soft ground ball with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 11th inning. It's the fourth straight season the Phillies have come up short during a realistic run at a World Series title.

There's a whole lot of uncertainty surrounding this Phillies team -- big-name free agents, expensive contracts piling up, and a rapidly aging core. But they'll still be gunning for a title. Here's what we think they'll do this winter.

Kyle Schwarber is the only major free agent to return

The Phillies just can't afford to lose their top slugger. Schwarber has seemingly become the de facto captain of this team, belting a career-high 56 home runs this season and finishing fifth in Major League Baseball with a .928 OPS.

It's tempting to say Ranger Suárez will be back too, because the Phillies need to fortify the rotation in case Zack Wheeler isn't back early in the year. But that's the bidding war they'll more likely be priced out of than Schwarber's. As for catcher J.T. Realmuto, never say never, but lots of teams might pursue him to fill their voids in veteran leadership.

Nick Castellanos gets salary dumped

The writing has been on the wall for Castellanos since he saw his role diminished in the wake of the trade to acquire Harrison Bader. He clearly resented the organization taking him out of games for defensive purposes, and he even bashed manager Rob Thomson's communication skills.

No team is paying the $20 million Castellanos is set to make after his negative-WAR season, so the Phillies will eat a hefty portion of the price tag to ensure the two-time All-Star and former Silver Slugger gets a fresh start.

The Phillies shake up the starting infield

Oct 9, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Bryson Stott (5) turns a double play over Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman (5) in the second inning during game four of the NLDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Those first two predictions addressed obvious problems for the Phillies, but to get to where they want to be, the Phillies may have to think outside the box a bit. Bryson Stott and Alec Bohm both have been solid throughout the last few years, but sometimes, good is the enemy of great.

Bohm was heavily involved in trade rumors last season, so it wouldn't be a surprise to see him go with one year left on his rookie contract. But there's a sneaky case to be made that Stott should be moved instead, as he might have more value with three years left on his deal. And the 28-year-old was brutal in the NLDS, going 2-for-13 with no walks or extra-base hits.

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