Another early playoff exit has everyone around the Phillies questioning whether or not their "window" to compete is over.
Being eliminated by the Atlanta Braves in a winnable playoff series is undoubtedly frustrating and was completely avoidable. Had the Phillies handled their business in September, they could have set their starting rotation. Who knows if that changes the outcome of their series or even their first-round opponent?
What we do know is that the team failed to take care of their business when the time came.
Their mistakes in September 2026 do not automatically eliminate them from the playoffs in 2027.
For all intents and purposes, the Philadelphia Phillies are going to be back in the mix for both the playoffs and National League East again next season.
The Atlanta Braves won the NL East in 2026 after the Phillies had captured the crown in each of the two previous seasons.
Atlanta largely won the race unchallenged, despite a few moments where the Phillies nearly put themselves in a threatening position. The Phillies experienced that same level of competition in the two seasons prior, coasting to victory in their division in back-to-back years.
Ahead of the 2027 season, Atlanta is likely to be the division favorite. But the difference between these two clubs is not too far off.
The Braves will be bringing back the same roster pending any offseason trades that take place. Their team is older and under contract. Players such as Matt Olson, Ronald Acuna Jr. and Chris Sale will return to Atlanta for another season. With this in mind, the Braves will have limited resources to try and address their biggest issues. Starting pitching and an everyday shortstop, two very important positions within a competitive ball club, will need to be addressed.
Injuries to their rotation have decimated the Braves pitching staff over the last few seasons. As they entered the playoffs, Bryce Elder, Spencer Strider, Reynaldo Lopez and Spencer Schwellenbach were all unavailable.
At shortstop, the Braves rotated a duo of Mauricio Dubon and Ha-Seong Kim, among others, for much of this past season. That combined for the 25th highest fWAR from a team's shortstop position. Perhaps a trade will bring in a longterm option for the club this offseason.
Aside from the two playoff teams from the NL East, you have to take into consideration the other three clubs in the National League East.
The Mets had another disastrous season that prevented them from the postseason. They fired manager Carlos Mendoza and promoted Andy Green from the front office to manage the club. Green did a quality job, earning the full-time job at the end of the season.
With a new manager, deep pockets, and an impatient owner, I would expect the Mets to dominate headlines once again this offseason. The key with New York will be getting out of some bad contracts. Bo Bichette will likely opt back in for another season, meaning New York will owe him $42 million again in 2027. They are not expiring any major contracts with the conclusion of this season, meaning relief will have to come via a trade.
Young stars such as Carson Benge and Nolan McLean helped bridge the gap for New York in 2026. If they take another step forward, both will be All-Star caliber talents.
New York's biggest weakness will be their starting pitching. Until they can find quality arms, they will not be a series division threat.
In back-to-back seasons the Miami Marlins have grown to become a quality baseball club.
Finishing the 2026 season with a 80-82 record, the Marlins put together a good season that had its ups and downs. A 12-game losing streak in July is likely the reason this team missed out on the playoffs altogether.
Full of young talent, Miami is in a position where they can continue to add to their club. However, due to limited spending by ownership, the team has failed to make a splash to put them over the edge.
If Miami comes out of the offseason with proven talent added to their roster, they should be considered a true threat to win the National League East. If not, however, it is hard to see how pure development of players will be able to overcome the high spending payrolls and established teams within the division.
Led by two MVP candidates in James Wood and CJ Abrams, the Nationals were another young team that won a lot of games in the first half of the season.
Unfortunately for D.C., they had the worst bullpen in baseball history. The Nationals blew an MLB record 42 saves in 2026.
Poor pitching late in games eventually wore out the Nationals, whose second-half collapse was unfortunate to witness. The team is loaded with talented and athletic position players, including Daylen Lile and Nasim Nunez. Starting pitcher Cade Cavalli developed into one of the better arms in the game as well.
Like Miami, Washington has the potential to be a sneaky Wild Card team in 2027. This would require ownership to open their checkbook and spend to add real talent to their roster. Upgrades in the rotation and bullpen have to be taken care, or the Nationals will be a threat to nobody in the near future.
It all comes back to Philadelphia.
While their offense needs to be revamped and their bullpen will need a massive overhaul, the Phillies have shown to be willing to spend money in recent offseasons.
They will return one of the best rotations in Major League Baseball next season, with a top-of-the-line closer in Jhoan Duran. These strengths give them an advantage; most clubs do not have the luxury of even attempting for next year.
Creativity will be needed to try and retool their offense. Third baseman Alec Bohm is a free agent, as well as second baseman Luis Arraez. A potential move to the outfield regarding Trea Turner might fix a weak outfield collection, but it would open another hole in the team's infield. The opposite goes for Bryce Harper, who will return to first base.
Luckily for the Phillies, their poor offensive production has not limited them from making the postseason the past few seasons. While they cannot bank on their starting pitching to carry them year in and year out, it does raise the question, "Can it get any worse?"
Like the other clubs within their division, the Phillies have holes. But, unlike most of the others, their strengths can overcome a lot of the negatives. A better start than 9-19 next season surely can help give them a fighter's chance come September.
While the offseason will help paint a better picture of the 2027 season, one thing is for sure: the National League East is up for grabs once again next season.
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