The Phillies' 2025 season ended in a familiar, but more painful way than it has in recent memory.
A 2-1, 11-inning loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers left a 96-win regular season feeling hollow and highlighted a roster that still struggles to finish the job. The season will infamously be remembered for the error made by reliever Orion Kerkering, but this postseason, when needed the most, the offense disappeared.
The front office now faces clear choices about how to rebuild around its core and whether to keep leaning on low-cost reclamation signings or pivot to true difference makers.
Marginal signings haven't paid off for the Phillies
Recent offseasons saw the Phillies supplement their roster with low-risk veterans who, more often than not, provided marginal returns. The signings last winter stand out the most, with players like Jordan Romano, Joe Ross, and Max Kepler.
Romano, once a reliable late-inning arm, posted an ugly 8.23 ERA over 49 appearances in 2025. He was unreliable, susceptible to the home run, and made it tough on the manager to put him in the game. After a rough outing late in the year, he ended up on the IL with a finger injury.
Max Kepler signed a one-year $10 million deal but only produced a .216 average and .691 OPS across 127 games. He was on the verge of being designated for assignment around the trade deadline, but made some strides at the plate. Neither moved the needle for the team in October, and these kinds of stopgap signings are unlikely to be the answer for a club whose postseason failures have become a pattern.
Targeting true difference makers
Philadelphia's window still exists, but they need to focus on building around the stars it already has with true difference makers and not reclamation projects. Dave Dombrowski has decisions to make with Philly's own potential free agents, but they need to focus on real moves to make the lineup and pitching staff better.
The focus should be on the frontline starting pitching with Ranger Suarez's impending free agency, Zack Wheeler's health, and Taijuan Walker's spot on the roster all in question. There should also be a focus on more late-inning relief, who can handle high-leverage situations. The Phillies also need to invest capital in finding a top or middle order bat, who impacts on base percentage, has plate discipline in October, and simply can put the ball in play.
Same old won't cut it
The Phillies have had the same core since their World Series run in 2022, and with members of the core slated for free agency, the group will likely look different next season.
Should they resign some of their own free agents? Sure, but you simply can't run back the same team hoping to get a different result. Ownership has shown willingness to spend, and Dombrowski has a track record of aggressive moves when he believes a contender is within reach. Whether it's money or trading prospects, the focus should be on shifting resources from multiple marginal signings into a couple of big moves.
If the Phillies aren't aggressive with changes this offseason and lean on bargain bin options, they will cycle through regular season excellence and October disappointment once again.
