With Thanksgiving here, the holiday season is upon us once again. For Philadelphia Phillies fans it feels like the baseball season ended forever ago. That's because it did after their NLDS exit, and the offseason has been slow-developing.
As you and your loved ones, some of whom are presumably also Phillies fans, gather to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, there are always certain topics best avoided at the dinner table. This year, our writers compiled some conversation starters that can help you steer clear of the awkward silences and heated arguments that can arise from talk of politics and religion … or asking your Aunt Linda how much butter she used in her sweet potato casserole.
These Phillies hot takes are sure to get any Phillies fan's blood boiling. So, use them responsibly. But most of all, have a safe and wonderful Thanksgiving. Go Phils!
8 Phillies hot takes to fight about over Thanksgiving dinner
1. Pete Alonso would become a fan favorite if he signed with the Phillies - Matt Davis
Phillies fans take joy in poking fun at New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso's odd sense of humor, choice of attire or occasional cold streak at the plate. He also doesn't do himself any favors with his Home Run Derby antics. The city of Philadelphia loves to hate him as a division rival, but if he were to come to Philly instead of New York, the narrative couldn't change fast enough.
Alonso would immediately become "our guy" in the middle of the lineup. Fans sometimes forget how consistent he really is year after year. This season was another example of that. He hit .272 with 38 home runs and 126 RBIs, playing all 162 games. He also was tied for the NL lead with 41 doubles.
2. Rafael Marchán is the Phillies’ best catching option for 2026 and the foreseeable future - Michael Hennelly
The Phillies have a decision to make at catcher. J.T. Realmuto is a free agent and will be 35 years old next year. Losing Realmuto, who’s declining with age, in free agency may not be the worst thing for the Phillies. A lot has been said about the Phillies’ lack of depth at catcher, but Rafael Marchán has the skill set to be productive in a larger role.
The 26-year-old hit just .210 in 2025 but was limited to105 at-bats. He's a former top prospect with above-average defensive capability but dealt with multiple injuries early in his development. He hit .294 with seven extra-base hits in 17 games in a platoon role while Realmuto was out with an injury during the 2024 season.
3. The Phillies don’t really need to move on from Nick Castellanos this offseason - Andrew Santangelo
It’s no secret that things didn't end well for the Phillies and Nick Castellanos. However, the idea that he has to be moved feels overblown. Castellanos was a .273 hitter with 12 homers and 51 RBIs before battling a knee injury and conflict with manager Rob Thomson. In the end, these are adults who should be able to work out issues. Castellanos is reliable and will be in the lineup every day.
He delivered two doubles and three RBIs in the NLDS this year. In 2024, he hit .412, and during the trip to the NLCS in 2023, he delivered five home runs. Castellanos has plenty of walk-off moments with the Phillies. He might not be the best at times, but a lineup that goes cold if it is built correctly with him hitting sixth or seventh could work as he hits in big spots more than others.
4. Pete Rose is the best free agent signing in Phillies history - Tori Sheffer
Even with Bryce Harper’s contract from 2019 waiting in the wings to take the title as “the best,” the Phillies’ best free agent signing of all time has to be none other than Pete Rose. Signed to a four-year, $3.2 million contract ahead of the 1979 season, he was brought in to put the Phillies over the top.
Rose’s tenure in Philadelphia ended after five seasons because he refused to take a reduced role going into the 1984 season. But as an All-Star in four of his seasons, Rose helped the Phillies secure three division titles, make two World Series berths and bring the first World Series title to Philadelphia in 1980.
5. The Phillies would be better off letting Kyle Schwarber walk in free agency - Michael Hennelly
Kyle Schwarber is one of the top free agents available and is expected to be paid like it. The 2025 NL MVP runner-up had a career year and likely has the Phillies regretting not getting a deal done earlier. Although he has been an incredible asset to the Phillies in so many ways over the years, the organization would be better off letting him walk in free agency.
Schwarber is expected to receive a five-year contract that may exceed $30 million per year. The Phillies would be wise to put their resources into other areas of the team rather than committing to a soon-to-be 33-year-old designated hitter.
6. Rob Thomson is actually a good manager - Michael Fisher
Phillies fans love to hate on Thomson. There's a faction of fans that would find fault with him if the Phillies won the World Series. Every manager has decisions they'd probably like to have back, but Thomson is the right guy for this team. Even veteran stars need the right person at the helm.
Since taking over in 2022, Thomson has managed 597 regular season games, guiding the Phillies to a 346-251 record. His .580 winning percentage is the highest of any Phillies skipper with at least 36 games managed. It's no accident the Phils have won back-to-back NL East titles with the second-best record in the majors in each of those seasons. Now Topper just has to win a World Series to silence the critics.
7. Recent waiver claim Pedro León is the answer to the Phillies’ outfield woes - Michael Hennelly
Pedro León was the Houston Astros’ former No. 2 prospect and could be the answer to the Phillies’ right-handed hitting outfielder problem. He has a tantalizing toolset and was supposed to be a star in the major leagues. Unfortunately, injuries have halted those expectations.
León made it all the way to Triple-A in his first season with the Astros in 2021, but he has yet to make an impact at the major league level. He hit .299 with 24 home runs, 90 RBIs and joined the 20-20 club for the second consecutive season with 29 stolen bases in 2024, but he hit just .100 in 20 at-bats after his promotion to the majors.
León was limited to 25 games in the minors in 2025 due to knee issues and was designated for assignment after the season. The Baltimore Orioles claimed him before designating him for assignment less than two weeks later, before the Phillies claimed him.
8. The Phillies should trade No. 1 prospect Andrew Painter - Michael Fisher
This isn't even to do with the fact that Andrew Painter struggled in his first year back from Tommy John. The Phillies are in a win-now window and need to acquire a difference maker for their lineup. Trading Painter is the best way to secure a legitimate bat for their outfield or any other holes (like behind the plate).
President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski has refused to move any of his top three prospects, and that has limited his ability to make the big trade. If he can get Jhoan Duran for Mick Abel and Eduardo Tait, think what he could accomplish with Painter.