Ranking the Three Worst Contracts for the Phillies Right Now

Here is a ranking of the three worst contracts for the Philadelphia Phillies.

Sep 30, 2026; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Philadelphia Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto (10) reacts to striking out against the Atlanta Braves in the seventh inning during game two of the Wildcard round for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Philadelphia Phillies have entered the offseason with a desire to improve, but with one of the highest payrolls in baseball, they have some bad contracts on the books. 

Following a year in which they saw another early exit from the postseason, the Phillies are a team looking to shake things up. Philadelphia has made the playoffs for five straight years, but early exits in the last three seasons highlight that something needs to change. 

How the Phillies will go about shaking things up will be interesting, but it appears that anything could be on the table. For Philadelphia, they might be handicapped a bit by some of the bad contracts on the team. Here is a ranking of the three worst on the team. 

J.T. Realmuto 

Sep 29, 2026; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Philadelphia Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto (10) hits a 2 run triple in the seventh inning during game one of the Wildcard round for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Even though there is only two years left on the deal, this is one that has not aged well. The Phillies signed the veteran catcher to a three-year, $45 million deal last offseason, but he really struggled for the team offensively this season. 

Realmuto slashed .205/.283/.331 with 11 home runs and 51 RBI. The batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage were all not good, and he contributed to the struggles of the batting order. 

At 36 years old, catcher is a need for the Phillies as well, and they need to find ways to get Realmuto some more days off. 

Aaron Nola

Oct 1, 2026; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Aaron Nola (27) walks to the dugout after the first inning against the Atlanta Braves in game three of the Wildcard round for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Truist Field. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Coming off the 2025 campaign, there was a ton of concern about Nola and what type of pitcher he was going to be for the team this past season. In 2025, Nola was one of the worst starters in the league, totaling a 5-10 record and 6.01 ERA. 

Considering the Phillies were paying him just under $25 million a year, this was a terrible performance and a very concerning one. In 2026, things once again didn’t start out great for Nola, but he was able to rebound well and ended up being a much better pitcher for them down the stretch. 

While the overall numbers might not have been great, they at least became a bit more respectable. However, he is still being paid just under $25 million, and that is a lot of money. Including 2027, Nola still has four more years left on his deal. 

Trea Turner 

Oct 1, 2026; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Philadelphia Phillies infielder Trea Turner (7) throws to second base for an out after fielding a ground ball hit by Atlanta Braves catcher Drake Baldwin (not pictured) during the second inning in game three of the Wildcard round for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Truist Field. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The easy choice for the worst contract on the team, unfortunately, goes to Turner. Philadelphia signed him to an 11-year, $300 million deal, and with the contract not even reaching the halfway point, it has become a major issue. 

Turner saw some serious regression in 2026, both offensively and defensively. The Phillies are going to give him a chance during spring training to prove himself defensively at shortstop, but eventually moving positions is going to be a need for him. 

While the defense is an issue, the team also needs him to bounce back offensively in 2027 as well. Overall, with the amount of money and years still on the contract and how he looked in 2026, he certainly has the worst contract on the team. The Phillies would reportedly like to trade him, but that feels like an impossible task.