The Phillies have retained head coach Rob Thomson through the 2026 season, but there are still some potentially significant changes in the lineup. Kyle Schwarber, rangers suarez and JT Realmuto Is one of the team’s most notable free agents. Zach WheelerHis health prospects were in question after undergoing thoracic outlet surgery. The status of Suarez and Wheeler is uncertain at best; Aaron Nora With an ERA over 6.00, Philly’s rotation isn’t the typical powerhouse we’ve been accustomed to in recent seasons.
First and foremost, it sounds like retaining Schwarber will be one of the front office’s top priorities — if not the top item on President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski’s to-do list. Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes that other club executives want owner John Middleton to do whatever it takes to keep Schwarber in the City of Brotherly Love. Matt Gelb of The Athletic said Schwarber, who turns 33 next spring, plans to seek a five-year deal in free agency.
That’s unheard of for a designated hitter his age, but Schwarber’s 2025 season was the best of his career. He hit an NL-best 56 home runs with a .240/.365/.563 slash line. Schwarber topped the 100-point mark in both runs scored and kickoffs for the third consecutive season.
Schwarber’s 14.9% walk rate is 6.5 percentage points higher than the league average of 8.4%, and while Schwarber’s 27.2% strikeout rate is also well above average (22.2%), it is also his lowest since 2021. The NL home run leader has also made huge strides in left-handed pitching in recent seasons, shaking off platoon concerns early in his career. In fact, Schwarber was better against lefties than righties, hitting .252/.366/.598 against those same opponents.
If you were to set MLBTR’s contract tracker to show the number of position players signed to five-year free agent contracts starting in their age-33 season, well…no. In fact, the only free agent hitter in the past 10 years to sign a four-year deal at age 33 or later is Ben Zobrist ($56MM), Starling Matt ($78MM) and Josh Donaldson ($92). Now that they’re all at least four years old (ten in Zobrist’s case), Schwarber is going through such an amazing run that it suggests he should easily outrun them all.
Gelb also said Realmuto is expected to seek a three-year deal — a hefty ask considering he turns 35 next spring. Again, looking through our contract tracker for receivers signed to three or more guaranteed years starting in their age-35 (or older) season, only two were found: Carlos RuizIn 2013, he returned to the Phillies all the way on a three-year, $26 contract. Yadier MolinaA three-year, $60 extension was obtained back in 2017.
Realmuto proved he still has plenty of potential in 2025, but his days as a quality all-around receiver also look to be in the past. As measured by wRC+, his .257/.315/.384 batting line was 6% below league average, but still a little better than the average catcher specifically. He still has the upper hand when it comes to controlling the run (29.7 percent of snaps), but Realmuto has now had several seasons of negative blocking grades (per Statcast), and his once-vaunted framing grades have declined dramatically.
There are few entry-level receivers on the market, which could work in Realmuto’s favor. Victor Caratini and Danny Jensen Arguably the most well-known alternative on the open market. The former performed well in the batter’s box, but primarily as a reliever. The latter has now had two poor seasons in a row. Potential non-bidders (e.g. Jonah Heim, Joey Bart) could add some scenario-changing candidates to the options list, and the trade market is sure to offer some names worth thinking about (e.g. Ryan Jeffers, Jack Rogers, Ivan Herrera).
When it comes to Suarez, he has made no secret of his desire to stay in Philadelphia. Todd Zolecki of MLB.com writes that the lefty is one of the last players to leave the club after the 2025 season. “I didn’t want this to be my last year with the team,” he told reporters at the time.
Suarez, 30, has been a mainstay in Philadelphia’s rotation, averaging 26 starts per season over the past four years with a 3.59 ERA. He performed even better in the postseason, with a sub-2.00 ERA in his postseason career. Suarez doesn’t throw the ball particularly hard, with a sinker velocity of 91-92 mph, but his strikeout, walk and ground ball rates are still above average.
As it stands, the Phillies’ rotation will include Nola, Christopher Sanchez and Jesus Luzardo. The team has not yet provided a timeline for Wheeler’s recovery from thoracic outlet surgery. Tyjuan Walker Signed for $18MM in 2026, but the Phillies would likely welcome the opportunity to give up some or all of the remaining amount. best prospect Andrew Painter He could make his long-awaited debut next year, but his minor league results have been mixed since returning from Tommy John surgery. Mick Abell Traded to Twins Joan Duran exchange.
Retaining Suarez would go a long way toward solidifying the rotation, but the Phillies already project a payroll close to $228MM before adding any players or bringing back any potential free agents (via RosterResource). It’s hard to imagine them retaining these three standout players heading into free agency — especially when there are other needs elsewhere on the roster.
