Another Phillies season has ended in disappointing fashion. Prior to the 2024 season, the Phillies have come close to the ultimate success, but have fallen short two years in a row. After this repetitive heartbreak, the Phillies came into this season hungry to finally win the Commissioner’s Trophy.
They turned the frustration from last season’s ending into a hot start this season, sitting at 40-18 at the end of May. They entered the All-Star break at 62-34 and tied the major league record with eight players making the All-Star game. That start did not continue into the second half, as they went 33-33 following the All-Star break. Despite this slow second half, the Phillies’ initial success was enough to earn a division title for the first time since 2011. They also earned a first-round bye.
While the Phillies snoozed into the playoffs, the Mets came into the series with momentum from their wild card round victory. The Phillies lineup, with a couple exceptions, did not come to play against their division foe. Their bullpen, that was such a strength in the regular season, completely folded over and blew the lead in every game. Another promising season ended in agony, as they lost to the Mets in four games.
Another disappointing end to the season leads to many questions for the offseason as far a who will be back next season and who has played their last game as a Phillie. This offseason will be a big one for the Phils. Money could be tight however, as they currently have the biggest payroll for the 2025 season. They could go all in on the biggest prize in this year’s free agency, Juan Soto. There will be a bidding war for him that will end with him being the highest paid position player ever.
It is unclear if the Phillies will be willing and able to enter that race. If not, they could opt to try again with the same core and make a few smaller additions. It is likely that they try to add another outfielder. Anthony Santander and Teoscar Hernandez are both great players that would come at a much cheaper cost than the superstar from Santo Domingo. The Phillies have some key free agents themselves. Relievers Jeff Hoffman and Carlos Estevez are both set to hit the open market and will both drive a hard bargain. Both were key to the bullpen’s success but really struggled in that fateful series vs New York. The Phillies will have a big decision to make as far as the bullpen goes, a bullpen that really struggled in the postseason. The Phillies also could not ever solve their fifth starter situation. Throughout the year, they could not find any real consistency for that role. It put so much more pressure on the top four of the rotation and any injury to their key starters became an even bigger problem because they did not have much to fill the innings with.
The Phillies will also monitor the trade market and could look to be opportunistic if the opportunity arises. Whatever they decide to do, the 2025 Phillies should once again be near the top of the National League, it’s just a matter of whether they can finally get over the hump and win the world series.