Five pressing questions facing Phillies during critical offseason

PHILADELPHIA -- The Phillies and Dodgers are the only two teams in baseball to have made the postseason each of the past five years.

The Phillies have been to the World Series once in that time. They lost in 2022.

The Dodgers have won each of the last two World Series. They have a chance to win a third in a couple of weeks. They play the Brewers in Game 1 of the NL Championship Series on Sunday night in Milwaukee.

The Phillies want to win like the Dodgers, but their seasons have ended earlier every year, including this year’s loss to the Braves in the NL Wild Card Series. The Phils have issues, despite a $320 million payroll and arguably the best rotation in baseball.

Here are five questions facing them as they prepare for the offseason:

1. Who’s going to manage?

We know it won’t be Alex Cora. He told the Phillies recently that he has no plans to manage in 2027.

Don Mattingly’s return remains the most likely outcome. He led the Phillies to the fourth-best record in baseball from April 28 through the end of the season, despite an offense and bullpen that ranked among the bottom third in baseball. He did what Phils president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski wanted him to do: help the Phillies rebound from a 9-19 start and make the playoffs.

But even with Cora out of the picture, the Phillies have made no announcement about Mattingly’s future. It opens speculation that Mattingly might not want to return -- the Phillies have twice preferred Cora over him -- or that Dombrowski simply wants to explore other opportunities.

2. How will they fix the offense?

The Phillies had just two everyday players that performed better than league average this year: Kyle Schwarber (131 OPS+) and Bryce Harper (128 OPS+).

It shouldn’t be surprising then that Philadelphia's offense ranked 19th in runs (713), 21st in batting average (.240), 23rd in on-base percentage (.312), 24th in slugging percentage (.395) and 22nd in OPS (.707). In 2025, it ranked eighth (778), second (.258), fourth (.328), fourth (.431) and fourth (.759) in those categories, respectively.

It’s a troubling decline. It won’t be easy to fix, either. The Phillies must find external help, although one big bat won’t solve everything. They need their own players to make adjustments, too. Trea Turner (81 OPS+) and J.T. Realmuto (65 OPS+) are at the top of the list. Turner had a combined .798 OPS the previous three seasons before posting a .675 mark this year. Realmuto had a .699 OPS last year before posting a .614 mark this year.

Can they inch back toward prior levels?

The Phillies could use more hitters who put the ball in play. Interestingly, their two best players at that are free agents: Alec Bohm and Luis Arraez. Do they bring them back? If so, are they running it back?

3. Do they ask Turner to move to the outfield?

Phillies outfielders had a combined .686 OPS, which includes Harper in right field the final two months of the season. That group ranked 26th among MLB outfields in OPS. But subpar play from Phillies outfielders is nothing new. They ranked 19th in MLB in OPS in 2025 (.710) and 16th in OPS in '24 (.708).

Turner’s struggles at shortstop could push him into the outfield as early as next season. It’s been kicked around. If it happens and if Turner rebounds offensively, it will give the Phillies' outfield a much-needed facelift.

Of course, who plays shortstop?

4. How bold will the Phillies be?

As soon as the Phillies’ season ended, speculation began about how they might shake up the roster.

Will they make changes around the edges (i.e. Bohm, Arraez, Brandon Marsh, Orion Kerkering, etc.)? Or do they go big by trying to trade Harper, Schwarber, Turner or one of the Big Three starters (Zack Wheeler, Jesús Luzardo and Cristopher Sánchez)? It won’t be easy. There is massive amounts of money involved, and the Phillies need to get the right package in return. Plus, Harper, Schwarber, Turner, Realmuto, Wheeler and Aaron Nola have full no-trade rights.

Still, the Phillies will listen because they must be open to everything.

5. Who’s setting up closer Jhoan Duran?

It’s a question Mattingly unsuccessfully tried to answer for months. Brad Keller suffered a season-ending right elbow injury this summer, although he struggled before he got hurt. José Alvarado struggled most of the year. He is a free agent. Kerkering got demoted to Triple-A Lehigh Valley last month. His future with the Phils is unclear.

The team tried Jonathan Bowlan in the late innings late in the year. Alex McFarlane handled it well as a rookie. But the Phillies clearly need more help in the bullpen.