With spring training games now well underway, the Philadelphia Phillies will be embarking on another potential journey to the World Series again this season. To help with fulfilling that dream, the Phillies had a somewhat significant turnover of players during the offseason with hopes to finally field the ideal roster to give themselves the best chances at winning.
While most of the veteran core remains and the Phillies are having a hard time shedding the "running it back" rap, there were more roster changes than fans want to acknowledge. As manager Rob Thomson pointed out during the offseason, 20 to 25 percent of the roster is different heading into the 2026 season.
With quite a few members from the 2025 roster no longer with the team, which of those players will we miss the most? And who is gone that we're just fine with?
Here are 3 players from the 2025 Phillies who we'll miss this season
Harrison Bader, OF
One of the Phillies' key trade deadline acquisitions last season, Harrison Bader certainly delivered down the stretch. Without question, Bader must have enjoyed his time with the club as he put up the best slash line of his career (.305/.361/.463/.824) while adding 30 runs scored, 11 doubles, five home runs, and 16 RBIs in 50 games.
More importantly, he provided the Phillies with solid defense in the outfield. Being a right-handed bat, Bader would have been the perfect veteran platoon partner for Brandon Marsh or rookie Justin Crawford in 2026 but ended up signing with the San Francisco Giants instead.
David Robertson, RHP
David Robertson wasn’t exactly lights out in 2025 like he was down the stretch for the Phillies in 2022. Nevertheless, Robertson still managed to put up solid numbers despite having waited over half a season on the sidelines before rejoining the Phillies.
In 20 relief appearances, he posted a 2-0 record with a 4.08 ERA with 22 strikeouts in 17 2/3 innings. Robertson recorded six key holds and two saves for the Phillies during crunch time in September to help them reach the postseason for the fourth consecutive year. But with the 40-year-old announcing his retirement this winter, he will be missed not only by Philadelphia but also by the baseball world as a whole.
Ranger Suárez, LHP
The Phillies have boasted one of the best rotations in recent years and a lot of it had to do with the emergence of left-hander Ranger Suárez. As one of the homegrown players, Suárez developed into an elite starter over the past few seasons. In 119 career starts for the Phillies, the 30-year-old compiled a 42-32 record with a tidy 3.45 ERA and 619 strikeouts in 666 innings.
However, with Suárez joining the Boston Red Sox in free agency this offseason, the Phillies are putting their hopes on Taijuan Walker, rookie Andrew Painter, and a recovering Zack Wheeler to come through in 2026 if they want their rotation to remain a strength going forward.
3 Phillies from last year’s team who we won't miss
Max Kepler, OF
Signed last offseason as the potential solution to their outfield, let’s just say Max Kepler never really ended up reaching the expectations that the Phillies had for him. In 127 games, Kepler amassed a dismal .216 average and .691 OPS, with 58 runs scored, 18 home runs and 52 RBIs, making him a one-and-done project for the Phillies.
The 33-year-old outfielder was handed an 80-game suspension for testing positive for PEDs this offseason, putting his chances of finding a new team for the 2026 season in serious jeopardy.
Jordan Romano, RHP
As a former All-Star closer, the Phillies certainly expected a lot more from their investment in Jordan Romano in 2025. Unfortunately, Romano had his worst season in the big leagues last year, registering a 2-4 record while blowing three saves, along with an abysmal 8.23 ERA and 1.45 WHIP, giving up a whopping 39 earned runs including 10 home runs in just 42 2/3 innings over 49 relief appearances.
Somehow, he still survived the season with the club but was left off the postseason roster for obvious reasons. Nevertheless, Romano is looking for a fresh start with the Los Angeles Angels this season.
Nick Castellanos, OF
It was already a foregone conclusion that Nick Castellanos wouldn't be a part of the Phillies organization heading into 2026 after all the happenings behind the scenes last year. That was made official when Philadelphia released Castellanos earlier this month after failing to trade him.
Even outside all the drama off the field, the 33-year-old outfielder actually underachieved with the Phillies, posting fewer than 20 home runs and 75 RBIs in two of his four seasons with the ballclub. This was all while batting just .260 with a .732 OPS, which was considerably lower than his career .272 and .785 marks respectively, not to mention also his disastrous defensive metrics in right field. As a result, it was best for both Castellanos and the Phillies to move on from each other.