⚡ LATEST UPDATE: The Blueprint Isn’t Finished Yet as the Phillies’ Top Remaining Needs for 2025–2026 Stand Out ⚡.DD
After a strong regular season but another disappointing playoff exit, the Philadelphia Phillies find themselves in that awkward place where they’re good enough to expect contention but not quite built to win it all.
They’ve got talent. They’ve got star power. They’ve even made splashy moves already.
But there are still holes to fill if the Phillies want to break through and actually bring a World Series title back to Philadelphia.
Reinforce the Catcher Position
SI’s original breakdown says the Phillies’ “main focus” this offseason should be catcher.
That’s a weird sentence only baseball people can love, but it’s true: after J.T. Realmuto, who has been one of the best backstops in the sport for years, remains unsigned relative to future security, Philly doesn’t have much behind him.
Realmuto, now in his mid-30s, still brings leadership and quality defense but is on the tail end of his prime.
Without a clear heir apparent, the Phillies risk a drop in production — both offensively and defensively — if Realmuto’s performance dips or he gets hurt.
Philly could look to re-sign him or pursue either free agents or trade targets with catching experience.
Starting Rotation Depth and Stability
Even with a solid rotation on paper, the Phillies still have questions about starting pitching.
Zack Wheeler, one of their aces, missed significant time in 2025 due to thoracic outlet syndrome and underwent season-ending surgery.
That’s not a small thing; he was among the league leaders in strikeouts before going down.
Aaron Nola also struggled with health and performance issues in 2025, dealing with injuries and an up-and-down ERA.
Meanwhile, other young arms like Cristopher Sánchez, Jesus Luzardo, Ranger Suárez, and even Taijuan Walker have had mixed results.
That leaves Philly vulnerable if any one starter falters in a crucial moment.
Adding rotation depth — whether through free agency or trades — remains a priority.
Bullpen Depth Beyond the Closer
The Phillies have made some moves to improve relief pitching.
They signed Brad Keller to a multi-year deal and added lefty Kyle Backhus, which gives them useful options behind closer Jhoan Duran.
Yet, bullpen consistency remains a concern.
Overreliance on a few arms can bite you hard in October, and Philly’s postseason struggles in recent years were partially because the bullpen couldn’t hold late leads.
Solidifying that group with high-leverage relievers and depth arms — particularly ones who can get lefties and righties out equally well — would help a ton.
Outfield Punch and Offensive Balance
They’ve made changes here too, like signing Adolis García to help boost right field production after Nick Castellanos was on the way out.
Still, the Phillies’ outfield overall ranked middling in terms of offensive production and value last season.
With a payroll north of $300 million and stars like Kyle Schwarber potentially weighing free agent options, the club needs to ensure its lineup has balance and isn’t just feast-or-famine.
Adding a bat who can consistently reach base and drive in runs in big spots remains important.
Strategic Planning Around Aging Core
This isn’t a sexy metric you list in bullet points at meetings, but it’s real: a lot of Philly’s top performers are getting older.
Schwarber, Realmuto, and others are at a point where they could walk in free agency or decline — and replacing core players with aging veterans is never fun.
Taking steps to blend in younger talent or at least manage the aging pieces wisely is more of a philosophical need than one you solve with a single signing.
Wrap-Up Reality Check
So yeah, Philly isn’t a mess by any stretch.
They won the division again and have the kind of roster most teams envy.
But World Series champs don’t just have stars.
They have depth, clarity at key spots like catcher and rotation, and flexibility to react when Plan A goes sideways.
Phillies fans have seen what happens when any one of those elements cracks at the worst moment.
That’s why these “remaining needs” still matter.
