The Case for the Phillies Being Aggressive This Offseason

Here's why the Philadelphia Phillies should be aggressive this offseason.

May 16, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski in the dugout before the Pittsburgh Pirates host the Phillies at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

On Thursday night, the Philadelphia Phillies’ 2026 campaign came to an end in Game 3 of the NL Wild Card Round against the Atlanta Braves. Now, the team will be entering a very interesting offseason. 

While it was a good bounce-back following a terrible start to the season, the Phillies ultimately fell short of their goals. Philadelphia is a team that has World Series or bust expectations at this point, and while making the playoffs is certainly an accomplishment, the team undoubtedly wanted more. 

Now, with their season coming to an end, it is going to be a very interesting winter for the franchise. Whether or not there is going to be a baseball season remains to be seen, but that shouldn’t stop Philadelphia from looking to be aggressive with an aging core. 

Making a Case to be Aggressive 

Sep 30, 2026; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Alec Bohm (28) rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run against the Atlanta Braves in the tenth 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

For the last number of years, the Phillies have been an aggressive team during the summer at the trade deadline and also in the offseason. Unfortunately, that aggressiveness and some of the moves made haven’t always worked out. 

As the team prepares for this winter, there are going to be some big decisions to make. Regarding some of their own free agents, the two most notable will be Luis Arraez and Alec Bohm. 

While the trade for Arraez looked good on paper, he didn’t perform as well as the team would have liked. Furthermore, the late injury resulted in him not being able to play in the playoffs. 

In the case of Bohm, he should be a player that the team looks to hold on to. While there have been some ups and downs, this is a franchise that needs a right-handed hitter like him in the lineup. 

When taking a look at where to upgrade, the bullpen is going to be the top spot. Year after year, the team tries to improve this unit, but it unfortunately doesn't work out. 

Once again this winter, that has to be the area that the Phillies really try to improve. Furthermore, while the bullpen needs help, Philadelphia also needs to figure out something with their lineup. 

This is a group that is certainly talented and looks good on paper, but there were so many inconsistencies this year. While it’s hard to imagine a major shakeup, it feels like some sort of change has to happen for this group. 

Overall, with the starting rotation expected to be one of the best in baseball next year, this is still a team that could accomplish some great things. However, helping the bullpen aggressively and figuring out the lineup will be needs to address.