ATLANTA -- Following their Game 6 loss to Houston in the 2022 World Series, a group of Phillies gathered in the corner of the visitors’ clubhouse at Minute Maid Park. They wanted one more hang together, one final beer, before they flew home to Philadelphia and parted ways for the offseason.
The future seemed so bright then.
The Phils surprised everybody that fall, taking a wildly fun ride to the NL pennant. They looked like a team poised to win a World Series in the coming years. But following Thursday night’s 6-2 loss to the Braves in Game 3 of the NL Wild Card Series at Truist Park, the Phillies’ future has dimmed.
They have lost each of their last four postseason series, despite having one of the highest payrolls in baseball.
The core is getting older.
Changes seem not only likely, but overdue.
“It’s going to be a long offseason, obviously,” Bryce Harper said. “I mean, I obviously have trust in the organization and people that are in charge. We’ll see where we go.”
Players canvassed the visitors’ clubhouse following Thursday’s loss. There were hugs and handshakes. A group of players -- Kyle Schwarber, J.T. Realmuto, Trea Turner, Bryson Stott, Aaron Nola and Garrett Stubbs -- stood in a corner and chatted together for a few minutes.
But it wasn’t like it was a few years ago.
The Phillies “ran it back” during the offseason, returning the majority of a roster that went from losing the 2022 World Series to losing the 2023 NLCS to losing the 2024 and 2025 NLDS. They started this season 9-19, so Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski dismissed Rob Thomson on April 28.
Don Mattingly took Thomson’s place. The Phillies rebounded, finishing with the fourth-best record in baseball (79-55) following the change. But familiar issues resurfaced in September: an inconsistent offense and an unreliable bullpen.
So, the Phillies needed to start Zack Wheeler on the final day of the regular season just to clinch the final NL Wild Card spot.
It changed everything in this Wild Card Series against Atlanta. Wheeler couldn’t start Game 1 as planned, so Jesús Luzardo started instead. It was Luzardo’s first start since Sept. 7 because of a left shoulder injury. He pitched great in his five innings, but the Phillies lost following another late-inning bullpen collapse.
Cristopher Sánchez pitched Game 2. They won.
Nola started Game 3. It could have been Luzardo, if he wasn’t needed in Game 1.
But the Phillies hoped Nola’s second-half resurgence would propel them into a rematch with the Dodgers in the NLDS. Instead, he allowed a first-inning three-run home run to Michael Harris II to put them in an early hole. Wheeler, pitching in relief for the first time since Game 7 of the 2023 NLCS, allowed a two-run home run in the fourth inning to Ozzie Albies.
“We kind of had to piece it together,” Wheeler said.
The pieces will need to fit better in the future. The Phillies released Nick Castellanos and Taijuan Walker in February and April, respectively. The organization had signed them for a combined $172 million a few years ago. The Phillies’ two most significant offseason acquisitions did not work out as planned. Both Adolis García and Brad Keller got hurt. The Phillies made three trades before the Aug. 3 Trade Deadline. Luis Arraez finished the season injured. Caleb Kilian got hurt after just four appearances. Brooks Raley struggled to the point that he did not make the Phillies’ postseason roster.
And now the core is another year older.
“It’s about execution,” Realmuto said. “It’s not about the age in here. We know we still have the talent to win in this locker room.”
“I don’t think so at all,” said Schwarber, asked if he thinks time is running out on this core. “I guess maybe I’m just the positive outlook guy, right?”
Schwarber cited the performances from rookies like Andrew Painter, Justin Crawford and Alex McFarlane.
“That experience is huge,” Schwarber said. “Because they feel the hurt. Right? They see what it means to everyone.”
The Phillies have so many decisions to make in the coming months. Key free agents include Arraez, Alec Bohm, José Alvarado and Edmundo Sosa. Trades could be made to further shake up the roster.
“I'd imagine this team is going to look a lot different next year,” Harper said. “The guys that are leaving this clubhouse. We'll see.”