Are The Philadelphia Phillies Doomed This Offseason?

After yet another disappointing playoff exit following an exciting regular season, it’s back to the drawing board for Dave Dombrowski and the Philadelphia Phillies. With the current roster, it’s going to be hard to make significant changes to drastically improve and win their first World Series title since 2008.

Phillies Have To Get Extremely Creative

The Philadelphia Phillies have two of the top free agents this winter in Kyle Schwarber and JT Realmuto. Both Realmuto and Schwarber were key pieces in their playoff success in the past, and Dave Dombrowski will do whatever it takes to retain both players this offseason. The problem is that signing both to multi-year deals would only limit their ability to add in other areas of need.

Kyle Schwarber will command an annual value of 30-plus million over four to five years. He’s extremely deserving of this deal, but it will handcuff the Phillies even more. With the lack of power in their lineup, Dave Dombrowski can’t afford to let the star slugger walk in free agency, but needs to surround his star players with more talent.

JT Realmuto will be another tough decision for Dave Dombrowski to make. It isn’t easy to find an above-average catcher that can play great offense and frame as Realmuto does. With an aging core, the Phillies need to be careful about how long they’re willing to commit to him. The smart move would be to up the annual value to make it a short-term contract; that way, they’re not stuck with him for more than three or four years.

What Else Will The Phillies Do?

Other than retaining Realmuto and Schwarber, their main need is outfield depth. The Phillies currently have Brandon Marsh, Justin Crawford, and Nick Castellanos, a group that needs improvement. With Castellanos likely leaving this winter, Dave Dombrowski has another hole to fill.

One free agent who fits well is former Ranger Adolis Garcia, who was non-tendered on November 21. Garcia would add above-average outfield defense and, despite recent struggles, could spark the lineup with power. Other than Garcia, the only other option would be to re-sign Harris Bader, whom they acquired at last year’s Trade Deadline.

Dave Dombrowski must turn to the trade market to compete with the Los Angeles Dodgers next season. While no clear trade targets have surfaced, boosting the outfield via trades could be crucial. He has yet to make a significant move in his Phillies tenure. Will that change this Winter?