Philly Leader

Phillies pitchers and catchers are set to report to Clearwater, Florida, in just over six weeks. After an active period before the holidays, further significant additions to the team seem unlikely before spring training begins.

Earlier this month, the Phillies strengthened their bullpen by signing right-hander Jordan Romano on a one-year deal worth $8.5 million. The team also added outfielder Max Kepler for $10 million on a one-year contract to fill the everyday left fielder position. Recently, they acquired left-hander Jesús Luzardo from Miami and signed Joe Ross to a one-year, $4 million contract as a swingman for both the rotation and bullpen.

“We really like our club,” stated Dave Dombrowski, Phillies president of baseball operations. “Now, can it get better? Yes. But if that’s the positional player club we go into Spring Training with, we feel very good about it.”

While additional opportunities may arise through trades or free-agent signings on short-term deals, as of now, the projected lineup includes players such as Kepler in left field, J.T. Realmuto as catcher, Bryce Harper at first base, Bryson Stott at second base, Alec Bohm at third base, Trea Turner at shortstop, Brandon Marsh in center field (with Johan Rojas as an option), Nick Castellanos in right field and Kyle Schwarber as designated hitter.

Dombrowski commented on their roster saying: “We like our everyday lineup. We think it’s a good everyday lineup.”

The starting rotation is expected to feature Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Ranger Suárez, Cristopher Sánchez and Luzardo. The bullpen will likely include Romano along with Ross and others like Matt Strahm and José Alvarado.

Any future moves are anticipated to be one-year deals due to budget constraints. FanGraphs projects the Phillies' 2025 payroll for luxury tax purposes at $307.6 million—$6 million above the fourth threshold—leading them towards substantial tax penalties.

This financial consideration has influenced their offseason strategy where acquisitions such as Romano and Kepler have been made cautiously given their previous injuries during 2024 but potential upside remains if they perform well.

The team's approach focuses on relying heavily upon its core superstars while seeking complementary pieces around them—a plan which they believe has been successfully executed thus far.