3 Phillies players who won’t be back for the 2025 season

The Philadelphia Phillies took the world by storm and represented the National League in the 2022 World Series. Following that unexpected run two years ago, they continue their gradual backslide. After coming up short of winning the Fall Classic versus the Houston Astros, they lost in the 2023 National League Championship Series to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Philadelphia elected to run it back in 2024 primarily with the same club that lost in seven games to the Diamondbacks. This year was a championship-or-bust season for Philly. Unfortunately, they regressed further following their 4-1 defeat to the New York Mets in Game 4 of the National League Divisional Series that ended the Phillies' season.

As an underdog during the 2022 postseason, Philly thrived and made their first Fall Classic since 2009. With more expectations over the next two years, the Phillies have stumbled in the playoffs and fallen short of winning MLB's ultimate prize.

The core of the club — Bryce Harper, Trea Turner, Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Nick Castellanos, Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto — will all be a year older in 2025. The window for this club to win a championship with these players is closing. Considering the front office elected to make minimal changes to its roster last winter, more changes are expected this offseason.

3 Phillies players who won’t be back for the 2025 season

Will there be unexpected trades of any players that contributed to the Phillies' downfall? Names such as Alec Bohm, Brandon Marsh, and Bryson Stott come to mind as those individuals that have not played like long-term solutions at their respective positions for the club. All three battled inconsistency during the season.

There are some other members of the Phillies roster not mentioned yet that have a good chance of being elsewhere next year. Following their underwhelming postseason, expect president of baseball operations David Dombrowski to be more active in making roster changes this offseason.

While the core of the club will return in 2025, their positional depth and bullpen need to be addressed following the underwhelming playoffs.

Here are three Phillies players who won't be back for the 2025 season.

Jeff Hoffman

Reliever Jeff Hoffman had an excellent regular season from the end of March through July. He was not used often in the closer's role as he went 9-for-12 in save situations entering August. Following the Phillies' acquisition of closer Carlos Estévez at the trade deadline, the Latham, New York native received only one save opportunity for the remainder of the season.

After making the All-Star Game, Hoffman had a difficult August. He finished with a 5.56 ERA and allowed seven earned runs in 13 games. During his nine appearances in September, the right-hander finished with a 4.00 ERA and four earned runs allowed.

The Phillies bullpen underperformed as a whole in the Division Series. Hoffman was no exception. He allowed six earned runs over 1 1/3 innings pitched in three of the four contests versus the Mets. He received the Game 1 loss and a blown save due to New York's rally in Game 1.

In Game 2 of the series, he pitched a brief 1/3 of an inning and received the win. Hoffman ran into trouble again in Game 4. Initially, he held the Mets off the scoreboard in the bottom of the fifth inning. The reliever held runners allowed earlier in the inning by starter Ranger Suárez.

The following inning, New York broke the game open. The 31-year-old loaded the bases on a single, a hit by pitch, and a walk. Hoffman also threw two wild pitches during the bottom of the sixth. He managed to get one out before manager Rob Thomson removed him in favor of Estévez.

Estévez allowed the difference-making grand slam but Hoffman received the loss in the Phillies' final contest of 2024. Relievers are naturally unpredictable. The 2014 first-round pick proved to be that for Philadelphia. He had an excellent first four months of the regular season followed by erratic play in August, September and in the NLDS.

Hoffman will be a free agent this winter. If Philly wants to take its chances on finding a solution to replace him that is already within the organization, then he will not return next year. The front office may elect to find an affordable alternative in free agency if the veteran receives a generous offer from another team this winter.

Austin Hays

Nick Castellanos represented Philadelphia's only outfielder who played on a full-time basis in 2024. Marsh, Cristian Pache, Johan Rojas, Kody Clemens and Weston Wilson were not used by Thomson every game. The latter three spent time in the Phillies' minor league system during the regular season, further clouding the stability and lack of depth among the position group.

Dombrowski and general manager Sam Fuld's decision to enter the season with the lack of proven depth in Philadelphia's outfield backfired throughout the season. The front office made a trade with the Baltimore Orioles for Austin Hays in exchange for reliever Seranthony Domínguez and Pache at the trade deadline.

Hays played in 85 contests during the regular season, 22 of them with Philly. He missed time with a hamstring strain in August. The 29-year-old missed time again with a kidney infection in September.

Before Philadelphia acquired him, the left fielder totaled a line of .255/.316/.395 along with a .711 OPS. Hays compiled a .256/.275/.397 line and an OPS of .672 with the Phillies. His numbers were relatively similar between his time with Baltimore and Philly.

Hays' return from a kidney infection did not give him much time to prepare before the start of the playoffs. However, his performance before the illness with the two franchises was average. Thomson views him as a full-time outfielder but he did not always perform as such. The right-handed hitter only started in one of the four postseason contests, Game 3 against the Mets' lefty Sean Manaea.

Hays appeared late in Game 2 and struck out in his only plate appearance. During Game 3, he went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts. It does not give confidence that he can be a full-time outfielder for the club next season.

The 29-year-old is estimated to receive $6,470,000 in his final year of arbitration next season, according to Spotrac. Would the front office be willing to pay that to Hays, who underperformed and had two stints on the IL for the club? He could be a trade candidate this offseason.