Phillies Offense Can Be Better With Internal Improvements in Key Area

Internal improvements in one area can elevate the Philadelphia Phillies offense to another level.

May 23, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Cleveland Guardians second baseman Travis Bazzana (37) tags out Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper (3) on a stolen base attempt during the seventh inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

There were a lot of disappointing developments for the Philadelphia Phillies during the 2026 season, but arguably the biggest letdown was the performance of the team’s lineup.

Scoring runs was a challenge for the Phillies. Several key contributors, namely shortstop Trea Turner and catcher J.T. Realmuto, had the least productive campaigns of their respective careers. The outfield was also a mess with underwhelming production.

There are certainly going to be changes made to the lineup this winter. Randy Arozarena or Seiya Suzuki would address their need for a right-handed-hitting outfielder. There are a few veterans who can help behind the plate as well.

Bringing in players who fit the mold of what Don Mattingly is looking for makes a lot of sense. However, there is one internal improvement from players on the team that would help elevate the team’s offense to another level: stealing bases.

Phillies have untapped potential with base running

Nov 2, 2022; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies center fielder Brandon Marsh (16) slides safely past Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman (2) for a stolen base during the third inning in game four of the 2022 World Series at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: John Geliebter-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports

Despite being a squad that is known for the long ball, there are a lot of players who can create some noise on the basepaths. Bryson Stott stole 27 bases without being caught a single time. Turner successfully stole 21 bases and was caught only four times.

Those two led the team, with center fielder Justin Crawford, with 17, and fellow outfielder Brandon Marsh, with 11, being the only other two players with double-digit stolen bases.

That is a number Mattingly will assuredly want to see increased, especially from Crawford, who was mentioned by President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski as someone who the team needs to see more from in 2027.

“(Stott) had a really good June, July, August,” Dombrowski said, via Charlotte Varnes of The Athletic (subscription required). “I don’t know why he can’t be that player all the time. We need to get (Justin) Crawford better. He did like we thought he would this year. But there’s got to be another level to him, where he gets better, he gets on base more, he steals more bases.”

Phillies have the players to create havoc on basepaths

Aug 9, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Bryson Stott (5) holds onto second base after a steal against the Toronto Blue Jays during the sixth inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Stott was excellent for most of the summer, at one point producing at a level not seen since Barry Bonds. Entering his second season as a Big Leaguer, improvements can be expected from Crawford, who could be a platoon option in the early going.

The 105 stolen bases the Phillies totaled was their lowest total since 2022, when the new rules were put into place that increased the number of stolen bases around the league. It would be nice to see Philadelphia get a little more aggressive, but for that to occur, players need to get on base.

That was a struggle for the Phillies in 2026, with their team on-base percentage of .312 being 23rd in baseball, buoyed by an incredible August. The rest of the season, Philadelphia was in the cellar of the sport.

Getting on base more consistently would enable the speedier guys on Philadelphia’s roster to get going on the basepaths to create offense.