The Philadelphia Phillies didn't have that many candidates to realistically be non-tendered as Friday's 5 p.m. ET deadline came and went. There were some possible options, but the front office opted to tender contracts to all nine arbitration-eligible players. The team did announce, however, that right-handers Michael Mercado and Daniel Robert were not tendered contracts.
Mercado and Robert, who were not arbitration-eligible, will head to free agency freeing up two 40-man roster spots. The Phillies spared other possible non-tender candidates like catcher Garrett Stubbs and third baseman Alec Bohm from the same fate.
In addition to agreeing to contracts for 2026 with Stubbs and Rafael Marchán, the Phillies tendered contracts to their seven other arbitration-eligible players. Bohm, Jesús Luzardo, Jhoan Duran, Bryson Stott, Edmundo Sosa, Brandon Marsh, and Tanner Banks will all head to arbitration unless they agree to terms beforehand.
The Phillies made the following roster moves:
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) November 21, 2025
Agreed to terms on contracts for the 2026 season with catchers Rafael Marchán and Garrett Stubbs
Tendered contracts to seven arbitration-eligible players: infielders Alec Bohm, Edmundo Sosa and Bryson Stott, outfielder Brandon…
But which of the tendered players may have only received a reprieve from their probable fate of winding up with another organization in the coming months?
2 Phillies who survived the non-tender deadline but are on borrowed time
Garrett Stubbs, C
The Phillies and Stubbs agreed to a split contract ahead of the deadline. He'll earn $925K in the majors and $575K in the minors next season.
Even though he survived the non-tender deadline, it's difficult to see the out-of-options Stubbs sticking on the roster into next season. With the plan being to hopefully re-sign J.T. Realmuto and Marchán (who's also out of options) the likely backup in 2026, Stubbs feels expendable.
Even with a lack of catching depth at the top of the organization, the Phillies' hands look tied. It would be surprising if they were to get Stubbs through waivers to Triple-A next spring. It wouldn't be surprising to see the front office flip him for something at some point.
Stubbs will turn 33 next season and spent most of 2025 in Triple-A. He hasn't shown enough on the field to warrant getting the backup job over Marchán. In 434 plate appearances with the Phillies since 2022, he has hit .221 with a .627 OPS, seven home runs and 39 RBIs.
Alec Bohm, 3B
Bohm's six-year tenure in Philadelphia sure has been a rollercoaster. Even though the 29-year-old third baseman avoided the ax on Friday, there's a good chance his time as a Phillie could come to an end this winter. Bohm is heading into his final year of team control and is projected to earn $10.3 million in arbitration in 2026.
Bohm put up the best season of his career in 2024 (3.4 fWAR) but regressed this year (1.7 fWAR). He played 120 games around a couple of trips to the 10-day IL. After a horrific early-season slump, he still hit a respectable .287 with a .741 OPS but managed only 11 home runs and 18 doubles with 59 RBIs.
It's no secret that the Phillies are trying to shake up the lineup this winter. It's believed that Bohm is on the trade block again after some fierce rumors last offseason. But the front office won't be forced into anything rash. Cutting him loose now would have left a gaping hole without any kind of concrete plan to upgrade at the hot corner.