3 disappointing Phillies players who let fans down the most in 2025

While the Philadelphia Phillies finished with 96 wins this season, some players with key roles on the roster didn't perform as well as anticipated. Despite their regular season success that included a second consecutive National League East division championship, the Phillies came up short in the playoffs, losing in the NLDS for a second straight year.

While there are plenty of examples of players who excelled this year, like Cristopher Sánchez and Kyle Schwarber to name a couple, there were some glaring examples of Phillies who didn't perform up to expectations.

There are many players on the roster whose performances are more significant to how successful the Phillies are. Whose seasons frustrated fans the most because more was expected of them? Which players will be aiming to have better seasons in 2026?

3 disappointing Phillies players who let fans down the most in 2025

Bryce Harper

One of the topics of debate this offseason among the media and Phillies fans will be whether Bryce Harper is beginning to show signs of wearing down. He has been playing in MLB since he was 19 years old, which is rare. While it is a testament to his elite ability, it also presents a challenge for his body.

Harper had a solid year but not the great season fans have come to expect. Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski admitted he has seen the former NL MVP have better years and questioned his ability to be elite again (subscription required). The first baseman dealt with right wrist inflammation and missed over three weeks in June.

The 2010 first overall pick posted a .844 OPS, which, while very good, was his lowest since his .814 OPS in 2016. His .361 wOBA and his .487 slugging percentage were his lowest since his .343 wOBA and .441 slugging percentage in that 2016 season.

Harper had a .600 OPS in the playoffs, his lowest since his rookie year of 2012, when he had a .521 OPS. He had two other postseasons where he only played in four games, in 2014 and 2024. His 2025 offensive numbers in October were the worst of those three short postseasons. The infielder finished with zero playoff home runs, the first year that happened since 2016, and he compiled zero postseason RBIs for the first time in his career.

Harper, who always defends the Phillies fans' right to be critical of the franchise during their struggles, holds himself to a very high standard, which one can respect. The fan base can expect him to be highly motivated during his training this offseason and come to spring training ready and eager to have a better 2026.

José Alvarado

José Alvarado missed a significant part of the regular season. MLB suspended the left-hander for 80 games after he tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug in May. The Phillies' bullpen was dealt a big blow following this news.

Alvarado had a key role as a late-inning lefty over the last few seasons for the team. Once the 30-year-old came back from his suspension on Aug. 20, he only appeared in eight contests before going on the IL with a left forearm strain in mid-September.

His season was over because, due to the terms of Alvarado's suspension, he was ineligible for the postseason. If he hadn't been suspended, would he have been available or completely healthy for the playoffs, considering he suffered the forearm injury toward the end of the regular season?

He has a $9 million club option that the Phillies need to decide whether to exercise this offseason. They may decide to pick up his option given his established value for the organization as a late-inning left-handed reliever.

Aaron Nola

Aaron Nola had the worst year of his 11 MLB seasons. He posted 0.9 fWAR, the lowest of his career. He got off to a slow start, which is a concern that happens frequently with him.

The seventh overall selection of the 2014 MLB Draft missed time with injuries, which, not including contracting COVID, hasn't happened since 2016.

Nola suffered a high ankle sprain and developed a stress fracture in his ribs while on the IL. He missed three months and only made 17 starts. The native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, finished with a 6.01 ERA and a 4.58 FIP, both career worsts. His 3.46 strikeout-to-walk ratio was his lowest since 2019.

He had a few great outings during the regular season, including two starts in September. However, in a must-win contest for the Phillies in the playoffs during Game 3 of the NLDS against the Los Angeles Dodgers, manager Rob Thomson chose to only have Nola pitch the first two innings. Nola's role during this game could have been influenced by his erratic year.

Hopefully, 2025 was just a bad season and not a sign of a concerning trend with Nola. The Phillies can't afford to have him start to decline with five years remaining on his seven-year, $172 million contract.