As the Philadelphia Phillies head into spring training Grapefruit League action, they're entering their third consecutive World Series-or-bust year following making the first Fall Classic in 13 years in 2022. The Phillies played an inconsistent second half of the regular season in 2024, leading to an early playoff exit.
The Phillies received solid seasons from many of its core players last year, including Kyle Schwarber and Zack Wheeler. Alec Bohm and Ranger Suárez each had exceptional first halves of their respective seasons. They each made their first All-Star Games but didn't sustain their momentum in the second half.
Cristopher Sánchez had a breakout year. Orion Kerkering continued to adjust nicely to the majors in his first full year and is in store for an even bigger role in 2025. He may receive more work late in games in a setup role or as a closer. José Ruiz provided the Phillies bullpen with depth and is still on the roster.
Some players who were with the club for all or part of the season just didn't work out. Veteran utility player Whit Merrifield and outfielders David Dahl and Cristian Pache didn't last the entire year. Other players who weren't a fit included reliever Gregory Soto and reliever/spot starter Kolby Allard. Spencer Turnbull pitched solidly in the early part of 2024 as a starter but suffered a lat strain in June, which sidelined him for the rest of the year.
Which other players will the Phillies miss not having on their roster? Naturally, there are changes to every MLB team each season, and time will tell if they made the right moves in 2025 or not. It also appears the club made good decisions on what players are not on the roster after appearing with the team a year ago.
2 players from the 2024 Phillies who will be missed
Carlos Estévez
At last year's trade deadline, the Phillies acquired reliever Carlos Estévez, aiming to improve its bullpen in the second half.
José Alvarado began struggling in high-leverage situations. Matt Strahm had a few bad outings in July during an excellent first three months of his regular season. These issues contributed to pressure on Philadelphia to upgrade its bullpen. The club traded prospect pitchers Samuel Aldegheri and George Klassen to the Los Angeles Angels for Estévez.
Estévez tied for 11th among relievers with a career-high 31 saves in 35 opportunities two years ago. Before the 2024 All-Star break, the right-hander was tied for 12th with 17 saves.
The native of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, led the Phillies with six second-half saves in eight opportunities. His 2.57 ERA was third behind Strahm's 2.37 ERA and José Ruiz's 1.99 ERA among the club's relievers in the second half.
Estévez finished with a 3.38 ERA in three postseason NLDS games against the New York Mets. He allowed one earned run, one walk, and two hits, one of them being a home run. The homer was a grand slam by Francisco Lindor, which sealed the Phillies' fate.
The Phillies and Estévez didn't appear they would agree on a contract this offseason, and they elected not to bring him back. He may not have pitched flawlessly with them, but he was not terrible by any means. The 2023 All-Star agreed to a two-year, $22 million deal with an option for a third year worth $13 million with the Kansas City Royals.
The Phillies signed free agent reliever Jordan Romano and reliever/spot starter Joe Ross to one-year deals this winter. If Romano doesn't pan out, the club will regret not having Estévez's closing experience to rely on.
Jeff Hoffman
Jeff Hoffman had a solid two years with the Phillies. He had a 2.41 ERA and a 0.92 WHIP in 54 regular season games during the 2023 regular season. The right-hander did relatively well, finishing with a 2.57 ERA and a 0.86 WHIP in eight playoff contests.
He continued to be reliable for Philadelphia last year. Hoffman's 68 appearances during the regular season led all relievers on the club. His 10 saves and 13 opportunities were second among bullpen pitchers. The Latham, New York, native experienced his share of difficulties during the NLDS, as did the Phillies bullpen collectively. He allowed six earned runs, three hits and two walks in 1 1/3 innings.
In particular, Hoffman helped one young teammate, Kerkering, adjust to the majors during his two years with Philadelphia. Kerkering texted Hoffman, per MLB.com's Todd Zolecki, after the 32-year-old agreed to a three-year, $33 million contract with the Toronto Blue Jays on Jan. 10.
"Just go be you. And just go have fun," Hoffman messaged, according to Kerkering.
"He always told us, he changes everything he does," Kerkering said. "He doesn’t do the same routine every single day. Whether he puts on his left shoe before his right shoe that day … he doesn’t like the superstitions of [baseball]. Just keep being you because you’re the reason why … we’re all here for a reason, so just keep running with it.”
Considering their high payroll, Hoffman appeared to be an unlikely candidate to return to Philadelphia. He will be missed, particularly if he does well with the Blue Jays and the Phillies relievers take a step back in 2025.