As the MLB offseason continues to progress, the Philadelphia Phillies are making moves to improve their roster, just like every other team. The NL East has been busy since the conclusion of the season, with several notable names joining the division.
The Phillies, after winning the division for a second straight year, have re-signed Kyle Schwarber, added Brad Keller to the bullpen, and brought in Adolis García to play right field. Hopefully, there's more on the horizon with the latest Bo Bichette rumors, as the Phillies' NL East rivals have all made significant improvements this winter.
The most worrisome additions around the division as a whole belong to the New York Mets. While the Mets have lost key pieces, most notably Pete Alonso, they have acquired players who could become serious threats to the Phillies.
Here are 5 additions that the Phillies' NL East rivals have made to improve the division
Devin Williams, Mets
Fans will remember that closer Devin Williams struggled last season with the New York Yankees, posting a 4.79 ERA and losing the closer role at different points throughout the year. However, based on his track record with the Milwaukee Brewers, it’s reasonable to believe that season was a fluke or the result of injury.
In the six seasons prior to his year in New York, Williams recorded a 1.83 ERA over 241 games with Milwaukee, locking down 68 saves. Even during a down year, his strikeout rate remained strong, tallying 90 strikeouts in 62 innings. If he returns to his Brewers form, Williams is an excellent replacement for Edwin Díaz on a three-year deal with the Mets.
Marcus Semien, Mets
The Mets’ other major addition is not known for hitting for average, but Marcus Semien consistently drives in runs and has been one of the more durable players in the league. He has played in 155 games or more in eight of his 13 seasons and has driven in 100 runs twice. For a Mets lineup that lost Alonso, that production will be crucial.
Semien came to the NL East in an early offseason trade from the Texas Rangers, where he was a two-time All-Star, most recently in 2024, and a World Series champion. In 2023, he led the league with 285 hits and posted a 7.7 WAR. While he may not be the flashiest name, Semien remains one of the better players at his position when healthy.
Robert Suarez, Braves
The Atlanta Braves made a clear effort to strengthen their bullpen, stacking the back end with Robert Suarez. He joins Raisel Iglesias to form a formidable late-inning duo. Suarez enters his fifth MLB season with consistent elite production, owning a career 2.91 ERA.
He has back-to-back All-Star appearances in 2024 and 2025 and led all of MLB in saves in 2025 with 40, striking out 75 batters in 69 2/3 innings. He has posted a sub-3.00 ERA in three of his four seasons. This gives the Braves one of the best eighth- and ninth-inning combinations in the league, making life even more difficult for the Phillies within the division.
Harry Ford, Nationals
The Washington Nationals addressed their catching depth, an area Phillies fans have been concerned about, with a trade for top prospect Harry Ford. Ford enters the season as the No. 3 MLB Pipeline catching prospect in baseball and No. 42 overall. In Triple-A, Ford posted a slash line of .283/.408/.460, hitting 16 home runs and driving in 74 runs.
If he develops as expected, the Phillies could regret not making a prospect-level trade when they had the opportunity. While he still needs to prove himself, this move could become a problem in the coming years. Ford is the perfect fit for rebuilding the Nationals team, which has a lot of young talent that can help Ford grow and take off with the rest of the club.
Pete Fairbanks, Marlins
The Miami Marlins have made some improvements to their bullpen issues with the free agent signing of Pete Fairbanks to a one-year, $13 million pact. The Phillies had been rumored to be after Fairbanks for the past year from trades to free agency, and will now face him in the division, in another move they may regret missing out on heading into the season.
Fairbanks owns a career 3.19 ERA and finished last season with a 2.83 ERA. He has recorded at least 20 saves in each of the past three seasons and appears to be getting stronger after throwing a career-high 60 1/3 innings across 61 games in 2025. Fairbanks stays in the state of Florida moving from the Tampa Bay Rays to Miami, which could help his transition. The biggest question with Fairbanks will be his health, as he has dealt with injuries in recent years.