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Phillies Listed Amongst Best Fits for Orioles Former All-Star in a Trade

Originally posted on Philadelphia Phillies on SI
By Kenneth Teape | Last updated Aug 28, 2025 11:04 AM ET

The Philadelphia Phillies are going to have some difficult decisions to make with their roster once the offseason rolls around.

Several key contributors are going to be hitting free agency. The biggest ones are designated hitter Kyle Schwarber and catcher J.T. Realmuto. Both play huge roles in the team’s success on the field with their production and veteran leadership. Alas, there are legitimate questions about whether either of them will be back.

Schwarber is going to command a massive commitment despite not playing the field very often. He is having a career year at the plate and is showing no signs of slowing down. It will be fascinating to see how his free agency unfolds. Normally, designated hitters who will be turning 33 years old before Opening Day in 2026 wouldn’t draw a ton of interest, but he is amongst the best hitters in baseball and should easily break six-figures on his enw eal.

Is J.T. Realmuto's Time With Phillies Coming To and End?

The situation with Realmuto is difficult to navigate because there are no in-house options currently. His production isn’t rising to career-high levels either like Schwarber’s. Will the Phillies commit any long-term money to him now that his OPS has dropped for a third consecutive year and he will be 35 when Opening Day rolls around next year?

Should Philadelphia look to go in a different direction, they will likely look outside of the organization to fill the void. One player to keep an eye on as an intriguing target; Adley Rutschman of the Baltimore Orioles. It is widely believed he will be placed on the trade block this winter.

The two-time All-Star looks to have lost his spot to top prospect Samuel Basallo. Just days after making his MLB debut, Basallo signed a long-term extension with the franchise. The writing looks to be on the wall for a major shakeup behind the plate this offseason.

Phillies Named Top Landing Spot for Adley Rutschman

Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report believes that the Phillies could be in the mix. He recently shared the 10 best landing spots for Rutschman in a trade and Philadelphia came in at No. 3. It is easy to see why they are ranked so highly.

He would make the perfect long-term replacement for Realmuto behind the plate. It would be similar to how his tenure with the franchise started, being acquired in an offseason trade ahead of the 2019 campaign. Realmuto was 28 years old in his first season with the franchise; the same age Rustchman would be.

President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski isn’t afraid to pull the trigger on blockbuster deals. This would certainly qualify and the framework of how a deal can get completed is already in place from years ago. Rutschman would address one of the long-term needs for the team and bring some much-needed youth to an aging core.