ORLANDO, Fla. — In a quiet hotel suite tucked inside the sprawling Bonnet Creek resort complex on Monday, Dave Dombrowski told reporters — according to multiple outlets — that the Phillies do not believe in “running it back.”
It was a firm message delivered by a president of baseball operations who has rarely been shy about reshaping a roster when he believes change is necessary.
On the surface, the argument is sound. The Phillies have won at least 95 games in consecutive seasons, a level of sustained success that often encourages a front office to stick with what works. In many cities, a roster this successful would be viewed as something to preserve, not overhaul.
But the Phillies find themselves in a much more complicated position. Their core players are aging. Their payroll already sits near the upper threshold of where ownership is comfortable. Their best chance to win a championship remains tethered to a window that is neither long nor guaranteed. Continuity may be logical, and it may even be sensible, but it is also the safest possible interpretation of their situation. And safe, particularly in Philadelphia, is not always synonymous with satisfying.
Dombrowski pointed to three young players, Justin Crawford, Andrew Painter, and Aidan Miller, as evidence that the organization is not simply replaying last season’s roster. All three could push for significant roles in 2026, and the Phillies believe each of them represents an important part of the club’s future. Crawford’s athleticism and speed make him a natural fit for the top of a lineup, while Miller’s bat has drawn praise from evaluators who believe he could advance more quickly than expected.
Still, prospects represent possibility more than certainty. They can change conversations, but they do not yet define them. What defines the Phillies’ immediate future is much more straightforward: the decisions that will eventually come from Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto.
At this moment, those two unresolved situations cast the largest shadow over the offseason. If the Phillies re-sign both players, their 2026 starting lineup will look almost identical to the one they featured last season. Nearly every everyday position would return, from Bryce Harper to Trea Turner to Bryson Stott to Alec Bohm, forming a structure that has been remarkably stable over the past two years. The lineup, in that scenario, would be familiar in rhythm and shape, despite the front office’s insistence that it is not “running it back.”
The lone unavoidable exception is Nick Castellanos. His is the one everyday job that is expected to change, and not because of circumstance. Multiple sources have told the Review that the Phillies are actively working to trade Castellanos this winter and view the move as something that “needs” to happen. The organization appears determined to reshape the corner-outfield mix, open roster flexibility, and correct what it sees as an area that had grown stagnant.
Castellanos’ likely departure represents the only definitive shift in a lineup that otherwise could return almost intact. That reality underscores the importance of Schwarber’s and Realmuto’s decisions. Should either player sign elsewhere, the Phillies will be forced into meaningful change. Should both return, the roster may look very similar, regardless of whether that was the stated intent.
Schwarber’s market is active, with the Pirates reportedly making a significant nine-figure push. Realmuto’s situation has been quieter, though no less important. Until those two players decide their futures, the Phillies remain in a holding pattern, their offseason shaped more by uncertainty than momentum.
Dombrowski’s message about avoiding complacency may ultimately prove accurate. The Phillies may yet make a bold move or shift in direction once the Schwarber and Realmuto situations settle. But as things stand, the club’s offseason reflects a delicate balance between the desire to evolve and the gravitational pull of a familiar roster.
This is not a team in need of a teardown. It is not a team seeking to replace its core. But it is a team that understands the difference between maintaining success and pursuing a championship. The question now is whether the Phillies can take that next step without venturing beyond the comfort of what they already know.
For now, their winter remains defined by two decisions not yet made, one outfielder likely on the way out, and a message from the top that stands in contrast to the roster on paper. They insist they are not running it back. Their offseason — at least to this point — suggests they might be closer to doing just that than they care to admit.
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