This story was excerpted from Todd Zolecki’s Phillies Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
PHILADELPHIA -- The Phillies surprised everybody in 2022, when they clinched the National League’s final postseason berth with three games to play in the regular season, then ran all the way to the World Series.
A few weeks later at the Winter Meetings in San Diego, they signed Trea Turner (11 years, $300 million), Taijuan Walker (four years, $72 million) and Matt Strahm (two years, $15 million). The Phils left California energized and primed to win the franchise’s third World Series in its history.
They enter next week’s Winter Meetings in Orlando, Fla., still without that third trophy. The Phillies are instead simply hoping to re-sign two key players from their 2022-25 core: Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto.
Even if they re-sign both, there’s more to do.
Here is a look ahead at the Winter Meetings:
Club Needs
The Phillies entered the offseason hoping to re-sign Schwarber and Realmuto. Both remain unsigned.
Sources said last week that the Phillies and Schwarber weren’t close to a deal, but negotiations can turn on a dime. ESPN said this week it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Schwarber choose a team before the end of the Winter Meetings. The Mets, Orioles, Reds and Pirates are some of the teams supposedly interested in Schwarber. The bet here remains that he re-signs with the Phillies.
It’s not a lock that Realmuto re-signs with the Phillies, although it remains the smart bet. The Red Sox reportedly have expressed interest in him. It’s easy to see why. His presence in the clubhouse and his ability to game plan, call a game and control the running game would benefit any postseason contender, even if his offensive production has dipped.
But the Phillies must have Plans B, C and D ready to go if Schwarber and Realmuto sign elsewhere. Even if they return, the Phils need to figure out what’s happening in the outfield. They would like to re-sign Harrison Bader. They would like to part ways with Nick Castellanos, who could be traded or released. They could use another right-handed late-inning reliever, too.
Potential Trade Candidates
The Phillies would like to hold on to top prospects like Andrew Painter, Aidan Miller and Justin Crawford, because at some point they need young, affordable players to contribute. It doesn’t mean they won’t be traded, but it probably makes more sense for the Phillies to look to trade players already on their big league roster, especially if they want to try to avoid “running it back.”
Anybody from Castellanos (who would be a salary dump) to Alec Bohm to Brandon Marsh to Bryson Stott to Strahm to Orion Kerkering could be traded this winter.
Prospects to Know
We mentioned Painter, Crawford and Miller.
Painter will have an excellent chance to make the Opening Day roster, especially if Zack Wheeler is not ready to pitch yet. Crawford feels like a lock to make the team, although Dave Dombrowski has stopped short of saying it. Miller could contribute at some point next season, but if he does it’s probably at third or second base. He’ll need time to learn those positions, considering he’s only played shortstop in the Minor Leagues.
Dombrowski has mentioned outfielder Gabriel Rincones Jr. as a potential 2026 contributor. But he’s a strict platoon player, struggling mightily in the Minor Leagues against left-handed pitching.
Rule 5 Draft
The Phillies protected Painter, Rincones and right-hander Alex McFarlane from next week’s Rule 5 Draft.
It will be interesting to see if the Phillies lose anybody left unprotected. A few candidates include right-handers Griff McGarry, Saul Teran and Andrew Baker, infielder/outfielder Felix Reyes and catcher Caleb Ricketts (No. 22).
Burning Question
Are the Phillies going to run it back again or shake up the roster?
The Phillies need Schwarber and Realmuto back, but they can’t just re-sign those two and call it an offseason. They need to do more, and if they really want to enter 2026 with a fresh mix they probably need to trade players from the current 26-man roster. It might call for difficult decisions to be made. It’s doable. The Mets just traded Brandon Nimmo to the Rangers for Marcus Semien, an acknowledgement that changes are often needed -- even if it means trading a homegrown favorite.