Andrew Noel, Editor

Well, that was quick. Red October lasted all of five days, with the Phillies losing almost without a fight to the Mets. This playoff loss will no doubt be the most consequential of the last three In 2022, the Phillies lost to the Astros in the World Series bringing hope back to the Phillies. In 2023, there was the heartbreaker versus the Diamondbacks proving that this Phillies team is good enough to win a championship. All those good vibes disappeared in just five days, with the archrival Mets leaving the Phillies with an offseason of certainty with more questions than answers.

The main issue with the Phillies is their lineup. The rotation is in a solid spot, especially compared to other World Series contenders, and the bullpen, despite its October collapse, is one of the best in baseball. Not many would complain about adding a bullpen arm, but that should not be where the focus is for the Phillies front office this winter.

In addition to the Phillies’ lineup, a major problem is the lack of variety in style that the hitters have. Every hitter is boom or bust and homerun or strikeout. This leads to wild variations in offensive performance. When things go great, they are unbeatable. However, what happens more often than not and what happened in the playoffs this year, is when everyone gets cold, the offense does not even come close to scoring enough. There was one run in Game 1 and one run in Game 4. The lack of consistent offense has been the Phillies’ downfall these past three years. The good news is that there are free agents available who will be able to help solve these issues.

The Phillies need players who get on base and don’t strike out. Enter 3rd baseman Alex Bregman and outfielder Jurickson Profar. Both are free agents this winter, meaning any team can sign them. The only issue is that neither of them (especially Bregman) will come cheap. 

Another option, albeit unlikely, is superstar outfielder Juan Soto. He will likely command the richest contract in MLB history but is currently younger than every Phillies starter. Signing Soto would extend the Phillies championship window by at least five years. The Phillies, who already have a top five most expensive payroll will face very, very stiff competition for his services. However, Soto is great friends and former teammates with both Bryce Harper and Trea Turner, and he sees current Phillies hitting coach Kevin Long as one of his mentors. Signing Soto is unlikely, but is certainly not impossible. 

These three players can be the last pieces to a championship roster, and with the Phillies players all getting older, time is ticking to transform the Phillies from contenders to winners. 

No matter what the Phillies do this offseason, one thing is clear. The team, as it is right now, can not win a World Series, and not making major changes to the playing roster this winter will be a disservice to the fans and to the city of Philadelphia.