The 2025-26 offseason was a pivotal one for the Philadelphia Phillies, as they still seek a World Series title in this recent window. The club has made adjustments and spent money in recent years but has still fallen short of the ultimate prize of a parade down Broad Street.
The Phillies are coming off a 96-win regular season in 2025, and the offseason so far has delivered more of the same as previous winters. The lack of a major roster shakeup has Phillies fans perturbed and wondering how they can compete in 2026.
Phillies manager Rob Thomson has been at the helm since the Phillies kickstarted their championship chase in 2022. He's led the Phillies to back-to-back division titles but still holds fault considering the team's postseason collapses.
Rob Thomson doesn't share Phillies fans' concerns about the 'running it back' narrative
The narrative has been brewing since the season ended on that fateful day in Los Angeles in Game 4 of the NLDS. The idea has been ingrained in everyone's mind that they can't possibly run it back and expect to win. Things have to change.
Thomson believes that change has taken place and discredits the notion that the team is running it back yet again.
“Well, we're going to have three new relievers,” Thomson said recently when questioned about the running it back narrative. “We got a new right fielder. [Justin] Crawford is going to get every chance to play. We probably got a rookie starting pitcher in [Andrew] Painter. We got Otto Kemp, who wasn't here at the start of last year. So we're turning over 20 to 25 percent of our roster. So if you think that's … running it back, whatever the saying is, I can't help you.”
Rob Thomson pushes back on the notion that the Phillies are "running it back" in 2026 🤔 pic.twitter.com/bS8d5bvtMw
— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) January 20, 2026
The percentage may be accurate on paper, but fans have a hard time coming to the same conclusion. The bullpen will be definitively better than in 2025, but the rest of the roster is, for the most part, a toss-up.
The roster has been turned over a decent portion, but it's not the change fans are talking about.
It's exciting to see the young prospects finally emerging, but they may not even break big league camp right out of spring training. It's the alternative succession in lieu of signing free agents, but they remain unproven at the MLB level.
Phillies fans wanted to see a jolt of life from this baseball team, one that has been lacking since they signed shortstop Trea Turner prior to the 2023 season. Designated hitter Kyle Schwarber and catcher J.T. Realmuto both returned on new free agent deals, and third baseman Alec Bohm and outfielder Nick Castellanos remain on the team despite years of trade rumors.
The Phillies knew they had to do more with their reported $200 million offer to shortstop Bo Bichette (subscription required). The front office was willing to upend their whole offseason just to make it work because he would've been a difference maker. They lost him to the New York Mets and now have nothing to show for it.
Yes, they have made changes and upgraded the roster in some key spots, but everyone knows that it's the same core taking the field once again. It may work and lead to another postseason berth, but with everyone around them getting better, the Phillies need the same core to be reliable for at least another year.