You hear that? That eerie silence? That’s the sound of the Phillies’ quietest offseason since Dave Dombrowski walked through the door. No Bryce Harper-sized splashes. No Zack Wheeler-esque blockbusters. Just a few surgical moves—a Max Kepler here, a Jordan Romano there, a low-risk Joe Ross flier, and, oh yeah, a trade for Jesús Luzardo that might be the most intriguing deal of the bunch.
So, what does it all mean?
Some folks will tell you the Phillies didn’t need to do much. Why fix what isn’t broken? Almost every key piece from last year’s NL East championship squad is back. The lineup still features a terrifying top six. The rotation still boasts a pair of aces. And the bullpen—well, it still comes with its usual mix of excitement and potential heartbreak.
But then there’s the other side of the coin.
This is the same core that came up short in October. Again. The same core that’s a year older.
And while the Phillies mostly stood pat, the Mets and Braves were busy. Really busy. The Mets landed Juan Soto. The Braves? They were already loaded and just needed to get healthy.
Max Kepler gives the Phillies another lefty bat with pop, but does he move the needle? The 31-year-old is looking to bounce back from an injury-plagued 2024, where left patellar tendinitis and a hip issue limited him to a .682 OPS over 399 plate appearances. But rewind to 2023, and he slashed .260/.332/.484 with 24 homers, 66 RBIs, and an .816 OPS. And let’s not forget 2019, when he launched 36 home runs and drove in 90. So which Kepler are the Phillies getting? The dangerous power bat from 2019 and 2023? Or the guy who limped through 2024?
Jordan Romano? Now that’s an interesting gamble. A one-year, $8.5 million “show-me” deal for a guy who, when healthy, is a legitimate late-inning weapon. Here’s the catch: he wasn’t healthy last year. Romano battled injuries all season before undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his right elbow. His 6.59 ERA in 2024 was the worst of his career, and his 15 appearances were his fewest since becoming an elite closer. But before that? He was lights out. From 2021-23, he was a two-time All-Star, saved 95 games, posted a 2.37 ERA, and struck out 230 batters in 186 innings. If the Phillies are getting that Romano, this bullpen just got a whole lot better. If they’re getting the 2024 version? Well, we’ve seen how that story ends.
Max Kepler gives the Phillies another lefty bat with pop, but does he move the needle? The 31-year-old is looking to bounce back from an injury-plagued 2024, where left patellar tendinitis and a hip issue limited him to a .682 OPS over 399 plate appearances. But rewind to 2023, and he slashed .260/.332/.484 with 24 homers, 66 RBIs, and an .816 OPS. And let’s not forget 2019, when he launched 36 home runs and drove in 90. So which Kepler are the Phillies getting? The dangerous power bat from 2019 and 2023? Or the guy who limped through 2024?
Jordan Romano? Now that’s an interesting gamble. A one-year, $8.5 million “show-me” deal for a guy who, when healthy, is a legitimate late-inning weapon. Here’s the catch: he wasn’t healthy last year. Romano battled injuries all season before undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his right elbow. His 6.59 ERA in 2024 was the worst of his career, and his 15 appearances were his fewest since becoming an elite closer. But before that? He was lights out. From 2021-23, he was a two-time All-Star, saved 95 games, posted a 2.37 ERA, and struck out 230 batters in 186 innings. If the Phillies are getting that Romano, this bullpen just got a whole lot better. If they’re getting the 2024 version? Well, we’ve seen how that story ends.
Then there’s Ross, who quietly put together a strong 2024 with Milwaukee. The 31-year-old posted a 3.77 ERA across 10 starts and 15 relief appearances for the Brewers. He began the year in the rotation, where he had a 4.50 ERA over nine starts before landing on the injured list with a lower back strain. When he returned more than two months later, he made just one more start before shifting to the bullpen—and that’s where things got interesting. Ross became one of Milwaukee’s most reliable arms down the stretch, posting a 1.67 ERA over 15 relief outings. If the Phillies envision him in a swingman role, he might end up being one of those under-the-radar additions that pays off in October.
Then there’s Luzardo, the wild card in all of this. The 27-year-old lefty has electric stuff and a quality three-pitch mix, not to mention a 119 ERA+ since 2022. He’s under team control for two more years, which sounds like a great fit for a Phillies rotation that already features Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Ranger Suárez, and Cristopher Sánchez. But here’s the problem—Luzardo made just 12 starts last season due to back and elbow issues. His 2023 numbers (3.58 ERA, 208 strikeouts) scream frontline starter, but his career ERA (4.04) suggests inconsistency. So which version of Luzardo shows up? The one who can dominate a playoff series? Or the one who spends more time on the injured list than on the mound?
For now, the Phillies are betting on continuity. They’re betting that the best version of this team can win a World Series. And hey, maybe they’re right. But if this group falls short again in October? If the lineup goes ice-cold at the worst possible time? If the bullpen implodes when it matters most?
Well, then we’ll all be looking back at this offseason—the quietest one yet—and wondering if that silence should have been a little louder.
Then there’s Luzardo, the wild card in all of this. The 27-year-old lefty has electric stuff and a quality three-pitch mix, not to mention a 119 ERA+ since 2022. He’s under team control for two more years, which sounds like a great fit for a Phillies rotation that already features Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Ranger Suárez, and Cristopher Sánchez. But here’s the problem—Luzardo made just 12 starts last season due to back and elbow issues. His 2023 numbers (3.58 ERA, 208 strikeouts) scream frontline starter, but his career ERA (4.04) suggests inconsistency. So which version of Luzardo shows up? The one who can dominate a playoff series? Or the one who spends more time on the injured list than on the mound?
For now, the Phillies are betting on continuity. They’re betting that the best version of this team can win a World Series. And hey, maybe they’re right. But if this group falls short again in October? If the lineup goes ice-cold at the worst possible time? If the bullpen implodes when it matters most?
Well, then we’ll all be looking back at this offseason—the quietest one yet—and wondering if that silence should have been a little louder.
