Despite the Philadelphia Phillies' goal of playing in the World Series this year, their season ended all too soon, unfortunately. While their offseason has already started, the official offseason has yet to kick off as we await the winner of the World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Toronto Blue Jays.
After flaming out of the playoffs in the NLDS for the second straight year, there's a good chance that we'll see more turnover than we have over the last couple of offseasons. So far, we already know that manager Rob Thomson and his coaching staff are safe.
On the player side of things, you can bet that Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski and general manager Preston Mattingly won't be sitting idly on their hands this winter. From pending big free agent decisions to the possibility of blockbuster trades, it feels like anything is on the table for the Phillies this offseason.
With all that in mind, here are some important dates every Phillies fan should know for the 2025-26 offseason.
Important dates Phillies fans need to know for the 2025-26 MLB offseason
Qualifying offer deadline and start of full free agency (five days after the World Series ends)
The World Series could possibly run until Nov. 1 if it goes to Game 7. The earliest it could finish is Oct. 28, meaning that the qualifying offer deadline will land between Nov. 2 and Nov. 6.
Teams have until five days after the end of the World Series to extend qualifying offers to their eligible free agents. Full free agency also begins five days after the final out of the Fall Classic. Technically, eligible players, of which the Phillies have plenty this year, become free agents the day after the World Series ends. Teams have exclusive rights to talk to their free agents during the five-day window, but after that every team is in play.
The Phillies will no doubt extend qualifying offers to their biggest free agents Kyle Schwarber and Ranger Suárez, although both players will turn down the offer. It's really just a formality at this point with both players looking to cash in with hefty multi-year deals on the open market. The qualifying offers guarantee the Phillies a compensatory draft pick if either Schwarber or Suárez sign elsewhere.
GM Meetings (Nov. 10-13)
MLB general managers will get together in Las Vegas for the annual GM Meetings from Nov. 10-13. There usually isn't much player/contract movement at this point of the offseason, but we should get some soundbites from Dombrowski and Mattingly to overanalyze and obsess over.
Rule 5 roster protection deadline (Nov. 18)
To protect eligible minor league players from the Rule 5 Draft, which we'll get to a bit further down, the Phillies have to add them to the 40-man roster by 4 p.m. ET on Nov. 18. Non-40-man roster players who have been in the minors for 4-5 years, depending on how old they were when they were signed, are eligible for the Rule 5 draft.
There are some big names in the Phillies system who are Rule 5 eligible this year, namely top pitching prospect Andrew Painter, who will no doubt be protected. Triple-A slugger Gabriel Rincones Jr. is also eligible and should be protected, while it wouldn't be surprising to see someone like former top prospect Griff McGarry get the same treatment.
Non-tender deadline (Nov. 21)
MLB's non-tender deadline this year is Nov. 21. If the Phillies don't offer a contract to players with fewer than six years of service time by this deadline they become free agents.
It's up in the air who might be non-tendered this winter, since a lot of the Phillies' dead weight is heading to free agency. Last season, the Phillies non-tendered Austin Hays in a somewhat surprising move.
MLB Winter Meetings (Dec. 8-11)
The 2025 MLB Winter Meetings take place from Dec. 8-11. This year, when executives from all 30 MLB teams get together with agents and some players in Orlando we should start seeing some bigger trades and free agent signings.
The Phillies won't be involved in the MLB Draft Lottery, but that will take place during the Winter Meetings on Dec. 9 at 4 p.m. ET. The 2025 MLB Rule 5 Draft is scheduled for Dec. 10 at 2 p.m. ET.
Pitchers and catchers report to spring training (mid-February 2026)
After a long winter, we get our first glimmer of baseball action in mid-February when pitchers and catchers report to the Phillies' spring training complex in Clearwater, Florida. There's no date set at this time, but this past spring pitchers and catchers reported on Feb. 11, with the first full squad workout on Feb. 17.