Phillies 2025-2026 Hot Stove Discussion

[Philsmania]

I don't want to sign Suarez or any free agent just to sign someone or just to make a statement to boost ticket sales.

[Austinfan]

There's a de facto cap, Middleton is willing to spend but only up to a point, and they're 4th or 5th in payroll
Can't expect him to pile up money in the IF and set it on fire.

[zambonir]

Ticket sales seem to be just fine, I did the presale last week and a lot of the big games were already gone except for 400s and foul pole. They need to get back to the World Series to have another sellout streak, not just sign some guy for April. I'm not even sure Bichette has that kind of star power.

Honestly that was one of the most pleasant surprises of last year, the fan enthusiasm could have easily cratered after the Mets loss, but things did not feel quite so dark, probably from the acquisition of Duran until the end of the NLDS (but with a recognition that that wasn't a bad or unlucky loss, unlike '24).

[zambonir]

Can't expect him to pile up money in the IF and set it on fire.

Why not?

[andyb]

I expect Middleton to spend money to address clear weaknesses in the team. Bohm is not a clear weakness. One could argue that Garcia was not the right OF choice, but we are actually spending his salary plus Casty so were not being cheap.

We saved money on starting pitching without Ranger. Should we sign another starter like Gallen and let Painter be a 3-4 inning relief weapon this year? Maybe,, but it is hard to say definitively that we should do it. More likely we lock Luzardo up and hope Painter is good.

[zambonir]

I don't really expect him to burn money or spend it foolishly but even as he's set various budget lines, he's also been willing to cross them. The original topic wasn't even Bohm or this year, it was when AF said that continuing to be overly reliant on 30+ FAs could "bury them capwise for the rest of the decade and longer,".

And while that could be true if Miller, Painter, Crawford and another three-five prospects after them all flop, hopefully that's not how it will actually play out. Either way it's still pretty certain they will have to add a couple of FAs (or trade prospects for better players) between 2028 and 2030, unless they do in fact go into a rebuild, retool, get under the tax line year or two. And whether that happens or not, they'll still be a big-spending team (or there will be a real cap).

[julio]

Can't expect him to pile up money in the IF and set it on fire.

Why not?

It woud do a number on the infield grass.

This is what parking lots are for...

[allentown]

In large measure because he wants a competitive team beyond the next two seasons and also because he doesn't know what the cap details in new CBA will be -- I'm expecting any hard cap to not be less than what the Dodgers are committed to now, but who knows what will actually happen?

Just as everyone talks about wanting a balanced federal budget, I'm guessing all the talk of a hard cap to increase competition will be at high enough $ not to actually do much to balance competition. Who really wants it? They likely take action on things like deferred payments and create a new cap above the current lux tier, which is high enough not to be a severe hindrance to anyone. Suggest a hard cap at what the Phillies currently spend and the higher spending teams will want that to be accompanied by either a significant reduction in lux tax rates and/or a required minimum salary spend which is a lot higher than what the 'poor' teams now spend. The players will want none of this, excepting the floor on team payroll.

MLB took in well over $350 million in lux tax last season and certainly more for the coming season. Half goes to the players and half to the 'poor' teams. I couldn't find $ received by individual 'poor; teams, as it seems deliberately opaque, but if we assume it went almost entirely to 5 teams, that would be close to $35 mill per team. The owners of those teams are not poor and the value of their teams has appreciated. I suspect they would rather pocket those $ than have the wealthy teams forced into a smaller salary budget.

[andyb]

I'd like to see greatly increased revenue sharing coupled with competitive balance taxes at both the top and the bottom of the salary scale. The revenue disparities are driving most of the imbalance here and since players are not going to agree to a hard cap they need to get more creative within the current system. The reset of the MLB.TV local packages in 2028 will likely provide a much better avenue to achieve all this.

[Dirk41]

Has there been any indication of where Bader may go??

[andyb]

Bader was mentioned in some St. Louis rumors but they are not exactly spending money now. Bader came up with them however so may have some affinity for the organization especially if the NY teams are now out.

[zambonir]

He's waiting for the market to come to him after the Phillies release Nick

[andyb]

Mayza may return. Good move IMO for their depth and no 40-man spot needed.

Phillies Re-Sign Tim Mayza To Minor League Deal

[andyb]

Spring invites:

Justin Crawford headlines Phillies' non-roster spring training invites

Reminder that we'll probably need a couple of 40-man spots to start the season depending on Crawford and whomever gets the last spot in the bullpen.

[zambonir]

A funny personnel quirk, I guess it makes sense to not use the spot until he earns the job for sure. But that spot will also come from one of the catchers. And if the Rule 5 guy isn't in the pen that's another one.

Of course they may yet sign another OF and a starting pitcher (at least on a minor league deal).

[andyb]

Lots more on the invites:

1/23/26 : Spring Training non-roster invites

They sure must like Jose Rodriguez if they keep bringing him back. Also wondering if Bryan De La Cruz has a real shot at the LF Marsh platoon versus Kemp.

In the bullpen Mayza and Cabrera probably have shots at the last bullpen spot. Some 6th starter type might also have a shot if Wheeler is delayed or Painter needs more time.

[allentown]

Some have a decent chance of being in Philly sometime during season, most are a combo of necessary camp bodies to run ST and major league camp reward for promising prospects who clearly aren't ready for 2026.

[zambonir]

It seems like a much bigger list than in past/recent years though, which certainly says something. More competition, more worthy prospects who won't be completely out of place? Of course many of them will only be there for a short time, and the catchers are just catchers.

[Austinfan]

Also a chance to gauge the progress of prospects against ML hitting and pitching, even if ST watered down.

[andyb]

Very few of the invites are prospects. And it is now standard for minor leaguers to play the last few innings of most Spring games anyway even if they did not receive a camp invite.

This is much more about the major league staff evaluating them rather than the minor league staff. For the opening roster AND for potential callups later on.