The Phillies roster stands to receive a major facelift this offseason
After their atrocious downfall in the final six weeks of the season the Phillies have major questions to answer regarding their 2019 roster. The 25-man major league roster and the 40-man roster will see some major changes through trades, free agent signings, and promotions.
Where does the Phillies 40-man roster stand going into an offseason with more questions than answers?
To start off, several players are candidates to be designated for assignment this offseason. Drew Anderson, Mitch Walding, and Yacksel Rios are all likely candidates. While they’re under team control for many more years, their production likely doesn’t match what others can bring.
Twelve players are eligible for arbitration, including Aaron Nola, Cesar Hernandez, and Maikel Franco. Pedro Florimon is eligible for arbitration, but his price tag as a bench player coming off an injury won’t be substantial. The same goes for Aaron Altherr, who likely lost a job to Roman Quinn. The Phillies can always decide against offering arbitration to a player and simply move on, something they might do with Florimon.
Trades will also open/close holes on the 40-man roster this offseason. Carlos Santana, Hernandez, Franco, and Odubel Herrera are all on the trade block.
There are also a handful of players eligible for free agency, and the team is expected to do more than dip their toe into the market.