Phillies 2025-2026 Hot Stove Discussion

[EDmuch]

Bader can steal a base. Bohm cannot.

[andyb]

Frankly bringing in Alonso for Schwarber's roster spot would solve some of the imbalance issues if they thought Bryce could play the OF again. Crawford could potentially fill CF also with a caddy from Rojas defensively.

They still have some room to be creative without blowing up the salary level close to $400 million.

[zambonir]

Bader's a better overall player than Bohm if he's hitting, certainly. He wasn't in '23 or '24. But they're still both 6/7/8 type bats on a deeper team (like the Phillies when they had Rhys and Nick and JT were dangerous). If you can pick one or the other on a one year deal you pick Bader. Unfortunately you can't.

If you're replacing Schwarber with Alonso wouldn't Alonso just be the DH? Or did you mean Casty andy?

[BaseballCat]

I want Harper to stay at 1B. If we got Alonzo at DH if no Kyle. If we had Kyle, than a different power right hand bat

[BostonRoss]

Bader can steal a base. Bohm cannot.

Bohm is slow for sure, but Bader was 1 for 4 in SB attempts as a Phillie. He stole 11 bases in 18 attempts over 146 games last season. Bader will be 32 in June; so I wouldn't count on him for many SB in 2026.

[zambonir]

The Phillies’ roster needs a makeover. Here are the moves they should pursue

Bowden is not quite as bad as the clickbait sites with the fantasy baseball and "in your dreams" proposals, but he's certainly got a lot of suggestions. Keeping Schwarber still #1.

• let JT go and trade for a catcher. He says that given JT's defensive decline (arm still good, blocking and framing poor) they should try to get him for one or two years with a pay cut. I think that understates his role with the pitchers, but also, that one probably is a dream. Suggested alternatives: the Rockies Hunter Goodman, Seattle's Harry Ford, lots in between.

• Move on from Bohm. Sign Bichette to play 3B, go after Murakami (except we never get those Japanese players), or wait on Miller.

• Trade, bench or release Castellanos. Trade Marsh or make him 4th OF (not sure you'd really do that though, he's still fine in his current strong platoon role). Only re-sign Bader for a 4th OF type role/$ (another dream, with a basis in past history though).

• All of the above in the service of.... signing Tucker or Bellinger or trading for O'Neil Cruz. While also promoting Crawford. And still going after Luis Robert (in other words he wants to replace all three OF spots).

Okay, I lied, he's no better than the average blogger.

[phillychuck]

I think my position going into the offseason is that we should ditch Casty and basically run it back with the guys who are there and internal options. Resign as many of the FA guys as you can. Replace them with younger prospects (if you can’t sign the FA veterans) through trades or second-tier, younger FA signings. Stay away from the premier FA guys except Schwarber. Massive roster retooling rarely succeeds.

[Philsmania]

With regard to Realmuto, I do think we need to listen to the locker room, too. Harper obviously loves him and has for years. I also think the pitchers like pitching to him and trust him (that's important). Having said that, brining him back needs to be on a team-friendly deal, if possible.

[EDmuch]

I do not want to see us sign Tucker or Bellinger or Cruz or Roberts.

But we do need to add an outfielder with some pop.

[zambonir]

At the end of the day that is probably what they do, barring a major bump in spending. Except you still have to replace Casty, Bader, Kepler, Robertson (which is really Romano's old roster spot) and possibly Alvarado. Crawford is one piece in the OF, you'll need one other. Still plenty of money and options to do all that, just not to sign a Bregman or Bellinger on top of Schwarbs and JT, and maybe not enough for Ranger.

I wonder if they are going to extend Thomson. On the one hand you've got that old saw about the locker room not taking the lame duck seriously. On the other, maybe these guys would respond to the fact that they are trying to win for him one last time, as he'll either retire or be fired if they don't (and an extension wouldn't change that anyway).

[andyb]

Cruz or Roberts.

Who are these free agents? If we are talking trade I've seen O'Neil Cruz mentioned though does not seem a good fit for us so not likely. Not sure Nelson Cruz has much left. Do you mean Robertson? He'll be lucky to get a 1 year deal for more than $5 million so not a major factor either way.

[zambonir]

He means trading for Oneil Cruz or Luis Robert, as Bowden suggested in the piece I posted above.

Bowden's list is insane of course. Even one trade for an OF or C is going to have some cost. He thinks Robert is the best option probably because he'd cost the least though, given his struggles and presumed salary (I believe the logic is the White Sox will actually exercise the option rather than lose him for nothing, but it's still too costly to get great value for him).

[andyb]

I could be interested in Robert if his option is declined. Not sure he has any trade value when the cost is picking up a $20 million salary option. But if he is cheaper as a free agent and with better coaching and a change of scenery he could easily be as good as Bader for less money. That is not as outlandish as it seems if you could get him for less than $10 million a year.

[BaseballCat]

Harper is our only gold glove finalist, which is why I want him to stay at 1B. He has been much better than I expected there.

[bkox]

blocking and framing poor)

isnt framing gonna be less of a thing with the challenge system. I realize they cant challenge every pitch but feel like framing wont be able to be as egregious now.

[DurhamBull]

But if [Robert] is cheaper as a free agent and with better coaching and a change of scenery he could easily be as good as Bader for less money.

2025 Bader (.796 OPS) or 2024 Bader (.657 OPS)?

[Philsmania]

I wonder if they are going to extend Thomson. On the one hand you've got that old saw about the locker room not taking the lame duck seriously. On the other, maybe these guys would respond to the fact that they are trying to win for him one last time, as he'll either retire or be fired if they don't (and an extension wouldn't change that anyway).

I would be very surprised if they don't extend him. Teams--either pro or college--are generally loathe to have a manager or head coach on the last year of a contract as it is seen as a source of insecurity or a potential distraction if the team hits a difficult stretch.

[andyb]

2025 Bader (.796 OPS) or 2024 Bader (.657 OPS)?

The point is that Robert is considerably younger than Bader and both have had inconsistent offensive results. Robert's defense is still plus. Usually the younger player has a better chance of repeating recent offense than older players. So if Bader is $15 million and Robert is $8 million shouldn't we at least consider Robert if the scouts say he is fixable offensively with a change of scenery?

[EDmuch]

I guess if Roberts is available at low cost as a FA, he would be worth the risk. Seems to me if he is available as an FA his price would go up because there are probably several teams who would take a chance at fixing him if he is available for under $10. Sox are in a bit of a bind because if they do not want to "lose him for nothing" they have to exercise the $20 million option and and few, if any, will want Roberts at $20 million.

[Philsmania]

Someone is going to take Nick for $5 million. As a DH or platoon OF, he's worth that. You just won't get much back in return either.

If you are only going to the reduce the payroll by $5 million, unless he's viewed as a sunk cost who might otherwise be waived, what's the point?