The Philadelphia Phillies suffered yet another deflating playoff exit last week, and are now heading into year six of a competitive window that has been sliding further closed by the day. Things clearly need to change, but that doesn’t mean everyone needs to go. Let’s break down a handful of players that should stick around in 2027, and a few that the Phillies should move on from.
3 players that the Phillies desperately need heading into 2027:
Alex McFarlane
Where would the Phillies be without Alex McFarlane? The 25-year-old was a Godsend for a team whose bullpen completely crumbled this season, and he became interim manager Don Mattingly’s second-best option late in games. McFarlane’s triple-digit heater and wipeout slider make him a potent weapon at the back end of the Phillies’ pen, and with six more years of team control remaining, he should continue to be for some time.
Andrew Painter
Well, this one’s obvious. Right-hander Andrew Painter has been among the top prospects in the sport over the last half-decade, and has finally made it to the majors after losing two seasons to Tommy John surgery. The 23-year-old struggled immensely in his first taste of the big leagues, but was worlds better after being recalled in late July, posting a 3.65 ERA across 11 starts.
On top of that, the 2021 first-round pick was nails in a high-pressure three-inning relief outing during the Wild Card Series. If the Phils want to have any hope of getting back to the postseason in 2027, they’ll need Painter to continue his ascent.
Aidan Miller
Losing top-100 prospect Aidan Miller for essentially the entire 2026 season was a gut punch for the Phillies. The 2023 first-rounder was billed as the shortstop (or third baseman, depending on the source) of the future, and looked major league ready last season. In 116 games split between Double and Triple-A last year, Painter slashed a tremendous .264/.392/.433 with 43 extra-base hits and 59 stolen bases.
Unfortunately, the 22-year-old was dogged by a back injury this time around and was only able to appear in four minor league contests at the tail end of the season. However, the good news is that Miller finished the 2026 season healthy and was even able to make a cameo in the Arizona Fall League afterwards. If he can maintain his health over the next few months, he could factor into the major league infield mix quite soon.
Four players the Phillies would be best served moving on from this winter:
Brandon Marsh
Outfielder Brandon Marsh has flashed loads of talent during his four-and-a-half year tenure in Philly, and even earned an All-Star nod this past summer. Unfortunately, he’s also shown plenty of downside, as evidenced by a disastrous second half that tanked his season-long numbers. The 28-year-old will be heading into his last year of team control and may be better off with a change of scenery for his platform season.
That’s not to say that the Phillies should simply give away the fan favorite, but if another team is willing to part with a quality prospect or two, or perhaps even a dependable bullpen arm, they would have to consider it. Plus, with quality regulars like Randy Arozarena and Seiya Suzuki hitting the free agent market, the Phils could make some massive upgrades.
Orion Kerkering
This one is long overdue. Right-hander Orion Kerkering has earned himself a reputation over the past few years as a supremely talented pitcher with an incurable case of stage fright. The youngster showed how damaging his high-pressure struggles could be last October when he threw the Phillies’ season away, and fully cemented his status as a headcase with his collapse this year.
If Kerkering is ever going to pull out of his brutal tailspin, it probably won’t be in Philadelphia. The 25-year-old may have diminished his trade value with such public displays of ineffectiveness, but there is sure to be a team out there that would part with a mid-level prospect or two to take a chance on Kerkering’s dynamite stuff.
Trea Turner and Aaron Nola
These two can be bundled together as extremely unlikely pipedreams. However, wouldn’t it be nice? Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski has assembled an extraordinarily well-compensated group of players on the wrong side of 30. Some of them (Zack Wheeler, Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber) are continuing to live up to expectations. Others (Trea Turner, Aaron Nola, J.T. Realmuto) are certainly not.
The Phils’ payroll has climbed up over $300 million, leading to a stars-and-scrubs roster construction in which the stars didn’t do nearly enough. The team has some money coming off the books this offseason, but not enough to address the myriad holes in the roster. However, what if they could shed one of the more burdensome mega-deals?
Both Turner and Nola put together tragic 2026 campaigns (although Nola did salvage his to an extent in the second half), and at 33 years old are unlikely to recapture their previous All-Star forms. The Phillies would certainly need to retain some of the remaining salary and perhaps attach some prospect capital to get a deal across the finish line, but if moving off of these contracts allows the team to bring in desperately needed reinforcements, it may be worth it to swallow their pride and pull the trigger.
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