Philadelphia Phillies Extension-Eligible Veterans To Keep Eye on This Season

Following their disappointing showing in the 2024 MLB Playoffs, the Philadelphia Phillies were a team many people were keeping a close eye on entering the offseason.

How aggressive would Dave Dombrowski be in shaking up a roster that experienced two postseason meltdowns in consecutive years?

After blowing a 3-2 lead at home in the NLCS to the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2023, they were defeated by the New York Mets in the NLDS in four games.

Everything was on the table entering the winter, as they would identify exactly what went wrong and how to ensure it wouldn’t happen again.

Somewhat surprisingly, the team didn’t make any major splashes. Every free agent that was signed agreed to a one-year deal and their biggest move was acquiring starting pitcher Jesus Luzardo from the Miami Marlins.

However, a shake-up seems inevitable.

So many of their core players are on the wrong side of 30, with six players in their projected lineup entering their age 32 or older season. The only addition made this offseason, outfielder Max Kepler, is part of that group.

The 2025 campaign could very well be the last hurrah for this core as we know it, especially because two members, catcher J.T. Realmuto and designated hitter Kyle Schwarber, are both in the final year of their respective contracts.

Both are highly regarded for their clubhouse leadership and are eligible for extensions, making the list that Mark Feinsand of MLB.com compiled.

“Whether Philadelphia will try to lock up both players -- especially since signing Schwarber would clog up the DH spot for the immediate future -- remains to be seen, but both are legitimate extension candidates,” he wrote.

If the Phillies were going to let one of the players walk, it feels as if Schwarber would be the one to leave.

Committing to him long-term as he transitions into a phase of his career where he plays the field less and less would be risky. There are other veterans on the roster, such as Bryce Harper, that could be in the plans for designated hitter in the near future to try and extend his career even more.

Schwarber’s impact at the plate cannot be understated; he has averaged 44 home runs and 101 RBI per season during his tenure with the franchise and is durable, playing in 155 games. But that cleared cap space could be used to chase superstar Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in free agency.

Without a replacement for Realmuto being readily available on the roster, his return feels more likely.

His offensive output isn’t as prolific as Schwarber’s but he remains a solid defender who the pitching staff loves working with. He can hold down the job for another few years until Eduardo Tait, a top 100 prospect this year, is hopefully ready to assume the role.

Only 18 years old, Tait has a ton of promise but is nowhere near experienced enough for the Major Leagues, having only A-Ball last year.

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