The holidays are upon us, and as you gather with your family and friends, talk of the Philadelphia Phillies is bound to come up at some point. Not everyone can agree on what the Phillies should be doing this offseason.
Are they running it back? Should they be running it back? Has the phrase "running it back" lost all meaning in Philly these days? The one thing we can all agree on is that we want to see more moves and a different-looking roster in 2026.
So far this offseason, fans have seen the front office re-sign slugger Kyle Schwarber in a largely celebrated move. Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski then went out and "solved" the right field situation by inking Adolis García to a one-year, $10 million "show me" deal.
That was followed quickly by a two-year, $22 million agreement with right-hander Brad Keller, who will hopefully turn out to be a valuable high-leverage reliever. Dombrowski wasn't waiting around though, immediately trading lefty Matt Strahm to the Kansas City Royals.
But what's next for the big league roster? What do fans want to see happen over the coming weeks of the offseason?
With just seven-ish weeks until we start to see players turning up for spring training, there's no time like the present for a present (or two) for Phillies fans. We sure as heck deserve it this year.
Obviously, not all of these wishlist items will happen. We'll be lucky if one does. But it's fun to dream.
Here are 4 moves the Phillies can gift their fans this holiday season
1. Sign Tatsuya Imai
The clock's ticking for whoever ends up signing Japanese star Tatsuya Imai. Posted by the Seibu Lions of the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) league, Imai and his camp have until 5 p.m. ET on Jan. 2 to choose an MLB team.
Phillies fans will certainly have their fingers crossed over the holidays that the 27-year-old right-hander picks Philadelphia to be his new home. The Phillies haven't had any luck signing stars, or anyone for that matter, directly from NPB. But there's a chance that Imai could change all that this winter.
At just 5-foot-11, Imai boasts a fastball that can reach 99 mph and has a 2.18 ERA over his last three seasons with the Lions. He posted a 1.92 ERA with 178 strikeouts and just 45 walks in 163 2/3 innings this season.
The good news is that Imai doesn't want to play for the Los Angeles Dodgers and wants to avoid teams with other Japanese players. Even though the Phillies' rotation is in decent shape, landing Imai on a long-term contract is a move you can see managing partner John Middleton and Dombrowski spending the extra money on.
2. Re-sign J.T. Realmuto
After hearing that Dombrowski and the Phillies had an offer out to J.T. Realmuto's camp during the MLB Winter Meetings earlier this month, it felt like the veteran catcher would sign sooner rather than later. Alas, Realmuto hasn't made up his mind, apparently.
Even though he'll be 35 before Opening Day, the Phillies still want Realmuto back for a couple of years. They honestly don't have much of a choice. The other free agent options are scary if you're looking for a No. 1 catcher for a World Series-contending squad.
While Realmuto is coming off his worst year at the plate in red pinstripes, he's still lauded for his leadership and handling of the pitching staff. Phillies fans have loved seeing him behind the plate for seven seasons, and even if he's not the same player who finished seventh in NL MVP voting in 2022, plenty of fans want to see him get one more shot at a World Series in Philadelphia.
3. Sign Alex Bregman (and trade Alec Bohm)
Talk about a longshot. While there was smoke about the Phillies signing free agent third baseman Alex Bregman earlier this offseason we haven’t heard much on that front recently. But that doesn’t mean that Dombrowski isn’t working in secret toward a massive coup, which would also mean trading Alec Bohm.
Some fans might argue that adding another 30-something veteran (he'll turn 32 at the beginning of next season) isn’t the best for the future. However, there are still plenty of fans who would love to see a big splash with the addition of a proven winner and clubhouse leader like Bregman manning the hot corner for the Phillies.
Maybe it’s time the Phillies finally admit that they’ve overvalued Bohm, especially with their attempts to force him into being a cleanup hitter and protect Bryce Harper. Bohm's heading to free agency next offseason so they might as well get something for him this winter.
4. Extend Jesús Luzardo
The Phillies already did the hard part of trading for left-hander Jesús Luzardo at this time last year. Now, after his first of two seasons in Philly was a huge success, it’s time for the front office to secure the 28-year-old through his prime years.
After battling injuries in 2024 in Miami, Luzardo stayed healthy this season. He made a career-high 32 starts and set new career highs with 216 strikeouts in 183 2/3 innings. He pitched to a 15-7 record with a 3.92 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and seven double-digit strikeout efforts, finishing the year with 10.58 K/9 and 2.79 BB/9.
Zack Wheeler is set to retire after the 2027 season and Aaron Nola will turn 33 next summer. Securing Luzardo to stand alongside Cristopher Sánchez and Andrew Painter as the core of the starting rotation in the coming years would be a smart move.