The Philadelphia Phillies have some decisions to make. A blind man can see that they’re just not good enough, in light of the fact that their ousting in the Wild Card Series was their fifth straight declining performance in the postseason. If things keep going at this rate, they’ll miss the playoffs altogether in 2027.
The coming offseason will require a great deal of creativity from erstwhile president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski if he wants to get his club to the promised land. He’ll need money to make any significant additions, and considering the prices MLB Trade Rumors’ Matt Swartz estimated for some of the Phils’ arbitration class, it may spur a trade or two of some players who have been core pieces lately.
The Phillies’ nine-man class of arbitration-eligible players this winter has a few noteworthy names, including All-Star closer Jhoan Duran and lineup fixtures Brandon Marsh and Bryson Stott. Rounding out the proceedings are non-tender candidates Garrett Stubbs, Derek Hill, Tanner Banks, Rafael Marchán, Bryan De La Cruz and Orion Kerkering.
The latter group are all projected by Swartz to earn less than $2 million, making them largely immaterial to the 2027 payroll if retained. However, Duran, Marsh and Stott are projected at $10.9 million, $8.3 million and $9.2 million, respectively; close to $30 million combined. Duran isn’t going anywhere, considering the fact that Dombrowski surrendered two high-quality prospects last summer to get him, as well as his status as the only truly reliable arm in the Phillies’ bullpen. However, Marsh and Stott could be on the move.
Both players are entering their final year of team control and will reach free agency at the end of next season, barring a contract extension. Considering the up-and-down nature of both men’s careers, it may not be the wisest decision to lock either one up long-term. There wouldn’t be anything wrong with riding it out one more year with both of them, but they may be even more useful as trade bait.
Trading Brandon Marsh or Bryson Stott would free up some much-needed space on the Phillies' payroll this winter
The biggest thing the Phillies could get out of a Marsh and/or Stott trade would be payroll flexibility. Freeing up the close to $10 million that each one is projected to earn would give Dombrowski some added firepower on the free agent market to pursue some much-needed upgrades in the outfield, bullpen, and second and third base. The veteran executive has built a Hall of Fame résumé by reeling in pricey free agents, and if he’s going to fix this team, he’ll likely dip into that well once more.
Secondly, trading Stott and/or Marsh would bring in players in return. Marsh likely doesn’t have a ton of value given his abominable second half, but he showed enough upside earlier in the season that an interested team could part with a decent reliever or a handful of lottery ticket prospects to take a gamble on him.
On the other hand, Stott would be quite a catch for a team in need of infield help. The 29-year-old has provided quality glovework at second base, third base and shortstop throughout his career, and was roughly league-average at the plate with a .736 OPS in 2026. Add to that his top-shelf base-stealing ability (27-for-27 in stolen base attempts this year) and he’s quite a well-rounded player.
Trading him away would certainly sting, but if Dombrowski wanted to throw some cash at a bat-first second baseman like Brandon Lowe this winter, it could make sense. A club that's in need of an infielder could likely be convinced to part with a few well-regarded prospects, or perhaps even some major league-ready talent, to acquire Stott. It's a risk, but it just might be worth it.
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