With spring training just around the corner, the Philadelphia Phillies will be getting ready for another big season ahead of them. The bulk of the crew, including Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto, are back for another run at a World Series title, along with a few additions including Adolis Garcia and Bred Keller to help bolster the roster for 2026.
Plenty of former Phillies players have found new homes for the upcoming season, from Harrison Bader to Jordan Romano. But while the Phillies focus and prepare for the rigors of the upcoming 162-game regular season, some of their former players haven't been as lucky and have yet to land with a team for 2026.
They could sign any day now, but here are six former Phillies players who are still unemployed with spring training on the horizon.
6 former Phillies still without a team ahead of spring training
Spencer Turnbull, RHP
As one of the Phillies’ rotation saviors in 2024, Spencer Turnbull spent the bulk of his 2025 campaign buried in the minors for three different organizations: the Toronto Blue Jays, Chicago Cubs, and Kansas City Royals.
In the end, Turnbull only saw three games of action at the major league level with the Blue Jays, compiling a dismal 7.11 ERA and 2.53 WHIP, yielding five earned runs on 12 hits in just 6 1/3 innings of work. The 33-year-old right-hander will hope that his solid 2024 year with the Phillies in which he posted a fine 2.65 ERA and 1.05 WHIP over 17 appearances (including seven stellar starts) could draw some interest from teams looking for starting depth.
Joe Ross, RHP
Joe Ross had a forgettable 2025 season after signing a one-year contract with the Phillies last winter. The right-hander struggled to a 5.12 ERA and 1.47 WHIP, giving up a whopping 29 earned runs including eight home runs, with just 39 strikeouts in 51 innings over 37 appearances. Things got so bad for the 32-year-old veteran that Philadelphia ultimately released him in late August.
He ended up signing a minor league deal with the Chicago Cubs and finished off the year in Triple-A Iowa. Similar to Turnbull, Ross will be counting on his solid showing in 2024 with the Milwaukee Brewers to hopefully earn another opportunity with a contender this coming season.
Max Kepler, OF
Looked upon by the Phillies to be their solution to their outfield in 2025, Max Kepler certainly disappointed for the most part in his one-year tenure in Philly. Kepler did provide some power production with his 18 home runs and 52 RBIs in 127 games, but an abysmal .216 batting average, .691 OPS, while grounding into a career-high 10 double plays left a lot to be desired.
The Phillies didn't attempt to re-sign the 32-year-old upon the conclusion of the 2025 season and he became a free agent. However, Kepler has since been hit with an 80-game PED suspension, making his quest to land a job for 2026 that much more difficult.
Walker Buehler, RHP
As a former two-time All-Star and World Series champion, Walker Buehler was a shell of his former self in 2025 when he pitched to a 4.93 ERA and 1.52 WHIP with just 92 strikeouts in 126 innings split between the Boston Red Sox and the Phillies. Nevertheless, Philadelphia fans did get to witness glimpses of his prior dominant form when Buehler posted a perfect 3-0 record with a tidy 0.66 ERA and 1.17 WHIP, with eight strikeouts in 13 2/3 innings over three appearances down the stretch.
However, the 31-year-old right-hander didn’t make the Phillies’ postseason roster and entered free agency after the end of the 2025 season. Teams that betting on a bounce-back campaign for Buehler should give him a chance in 2026.
Andrew McCutchen, OF
As a former star heading out of his prime during his time with the Phillies, Andrew McCutchen is now likely on the last legs of his MLB career. Last season, he batted .239 with a .700 OPS, 51 runs scored, 22 doubles, 13 home runs and 57 RBIs in 135 games with his original team, the Pittsburgh Pirates.
He had seen minimal playing time in the field in recent years as he primarily occupied the designated hitter spot as he aged. At 39 years old, McCutchen hopes to have one last kick at the can for a World Series ring, something that has eluded him in his illustrious 17-year MLB career to date.
Rhys Hoskins, 1B
Things certainly haven’t been the same for fan favorite Rhys Hoskins since leaving the Phillies during the 2023-24 offseason. A major offensive catalyst during his time with the Phillies where he hit above .240 while averaging over 30 home runs and 90 RBIs per season, Hoskins struggled in his tenure with the Brewers.
In two seasons in Milwaukee, the 32-year-old batted just .223 with a .732 OPS, well below his career .820 OPS, while registering a career-high strikeout rate close to 28 percent. Hoskins still managed 38 home runs and 125 RBIs in 221 games but didn’t impress enough as the Brewers declined their mutual option, sending him to free agency.