NEW YORK — Before the Phillies carried their deepest roster into this October, Dave Dombrowski talked about windows. They have always opened and closed — that is the law of physics. The Phillies have envisioned a dynamic in which their deep-pocketed ownership funds one of the highest payrolls in the sport while the Phillies improve their minor-league pipeline. There is no need to close the window if that is the case.
This is a nirvana few franchises have achieved. The Phillies — after being eliminated a round earlier in 2024 than in 2023, which ended a round sooner than 2022 — now confront an offseason that will bring change. Those changes are not obvious.
The club has three impending free agents: Jeff Hoffman, Carlos Estévez and Spencer Turnbull. It has 10 players under contract for 2025 and another nine eligible for salary arbitration. Much of the roster is settled.
But as the Phillies begin to survey the wreckage, Dombrowski, the club’s president of baseball operations, has avenues to remake the outfield and bullpen.
Payroll is not considered to be a restriction this winter. The Phillies drew a robust attendance in 2024 with a rebuilt season-ticket base and John Middleton, their CEO and most active ownership voice, will be motivated to keep pace with the sport’s biggest spenders.
The Phillies retained an unusual level of continuity between 2023 and 2024. There will be more changes this time, but the guts of this roster will look the same. The Phillies advanced further in this year’s postseason tournament than the other three league finalists — Texas, Houston and Arizona — from 2023. They had one of the best regular-season records in baseball with a dominant rotation, a hot-and-cold offense and a strike-throwing bullpen. On paper, they were close to a complete team.
Now what?
“I don’t feel like our window is closing,” Dombrowski said last week before the first game of the National League Division Series against the New York Mets. “I keep hearing that. What I think happens is that sometimes it closes with the current players that you have, but it doesn’t mean that it closes overall.
“And I’m not saying that this is the time period. But we have young players coming that we really like. And we also have ownership that’s very kind to us with our expenditures on payroll.”
Here are some initial thoughts about a critical Phillies offseason.
1. How different does the outfield look?
The Phillies entered 2024 hoping Brandon Marsh and Johan Rojas could establish themselves as everyday players. Neither did. Marsh regressed against lefty pitchers and fell into another platoon. Rojas’ defense wasn’t as spectacular as before and he failed to incorporate more bunting into his offensive game.
The team’s .708 OPS from the outfield ranked 16th in Major League Baseball. At times, it was a glaring weakness. The larger context suggests it was just average.
Nick Castellanos is entrenched in right field; he has two years and $40 million remaining on his contract. The Phillies could shop him, although any hypothetical trade would require them to pay down Castellanos’ deal. He probably has more value to the Phillies than he’d return in a trade.
The Phillies will be connected to the biggest offseason prize, Juan Soto, all winter. It would be foolish for the Phillies not to be involved in Soto’s market, although one of the New York teams stands to be the favorite to land him. Soto has maintained a close relationship with Phillies hitting coach Kevin Long; Soto’s camp will be sure to convey that message as they attempt to land a record-breaking contract. The Phillies, at least, could raise the price for a rival to sign Soto.
The Phillies do not have to move on from Marsh or Rojas, but both could become trade candidates this offseason. Marsh, who turns 27 in December, will be first-time eligible for arbitration. He looks like a platoon player — and a valuable one. Whether he fits whatever reimagined outfield the Phillies construct remains to be seen.
There are prospects within the farm system, but they might not align as big-league help in 2025. Rival evaluators are bullish on Gabriel Rincones Jr., a 23-year-old corner outfielder who hit .263/.357/.487 in an injury-shortened season at Double-A Reading. Rincones is playing this month in the Arizona Fall League. Rincones’ raw power showed better in games. Center fielder Justin Crawford finished 2023 at Double A and could play his way into the big-league picture next season. But Crawford, 20, still has maturing to do, both physically and swing-wise. His combination of bat-to-ball skills and speed while playing a premium position is an appealing package.
All signs point to the Phillies adding at least one outfielder via trade or free agency.
2. How do the Phillies rebuild the bullpen?
Matt Strahm and Orion Kerkering, who were strong all season and shaky in October, are back as anchors. José Alvarado, who shifted into a lesser role, is due $9 million in 2025. Tanner Banks and José Ruiz could return as middle relievers.
The Phillies have to decide whether the bullpen’s meltdown in the NLDS was a bad week — or something bigger. That could dictate how aggressive they are in pursuing Hoffman and Estévez. They surrendered two decent pitching prospects to acquire Estévez, and when Dombrowski made that trade, he hinted at the possibility of Estévez being in the club’s plans beyond 2024.
He didn’t miss as many bats as the Phillies expected and his command wavered at times. It’ll be hard to shake the memory of him missing his spot with a 99 mph fastball that Francisco Lindor smashed for a season-ending grand slam.
Estévez was popular inside the clubhouse. He turns 32 in December. He said he’d like to return to the Phillies.
“I mean, hopefully,” Estévez said. “That would be great. But let’s see. You know how it is.”
Hoffman should command a larger contract than Estévez; the Phillies might have to choose one over the other. (If they’re interested in bringing the righties back.) The last two postseasons have not ended well for Hoffman, but he proved in 2024 that his breakout 2023 season was not a fluke.
Still, multi-year deals to 32-year-old relievers are dangerous. Hoffman wants to return. He has not hidden it.
“We’ve been catch partners for two years,” Strahm said of Hoffman. “I’ve literally watched him turn his career around. I’ve also watched him fall in love with the city of Philadelphia and this team. I mean, I’ll be praying every night that he comes back.”
Even if the Phillies re-sign Hoffman or Estévez, they’ll need more to fortify the bullpen. It will be an offseason priority.
3. Do the Phillies still have faith in Alec Bohm?
Manager Rob Thomson benched Bohm for Game 2 of the NLDS, signaling the team’s disappointment in his attitude. The Phillies felt Bohm’s frustration had seeped into subsequent at-bats. The confident, run-producing cleanup hitter who powered the Phillies in the first few months of the season eroded over time.
He struggled at the plate and in the field during Games 3 and 4.
“I mean, I definitely wasn’t my best self,” Bohm said. “And it doesn’t feel good. But it is what it is. It’s a hard game. You’re not always going to be getting hits and doing all those things. There’s other ways to help the team win, and it just didn’t happen.”
The Phillies have two more years of club control over Bohm, 28. He’ll make close to $8 million in 2025. Bohm showed growth during the season on defense. He is a productive player.
He is not a complete player. Bohm missed two weeks with a hand injury and never found his footing upon returning in September. But he had gone into a slump even before the injury.
“Obviously, I wasn’t the same guy when I came back,” Bohm said. “Is it the hand? I don’t know. I don’t feel like it is. I definitely didn’t get back to where I was before that swinging the bat. But there’s no excuse for me. I don’t think that was really the reason why. I don’t know what the reason was. I wish I knew. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have struggled the way I did.”
If the Phillies are uncertain about Bohm’s place in all of this, they could look to move him while he still has those two years of club control. It’s unlikely. Bohm posted a career-high 117 OPS+, meaning he was 17 percent better than league average. But the club is high on Aidan Miller, a 20-year-old infielder who reached Double A at the end of the season. He needs time. But he could be in the majors sooner rather than later.
Maybe the way Bohm’s season ended crystallized his long-term future. He has a place in the immediate plans. But, should Miller progress, the Phillies could be content to let Bohm walk after the 2026 season. There is time to let it all play out.
(Top photo of Brandon Marsh: Dustin Satloff / Getty Images)
