Think Twice Before Criticizing the Phillies for ‘Run It Back’ Offseason

The Los Angeles Dodgers ignited the World Series celebration in Toronto after one of the most memorable games in baseball history. Citizens Bank Park, meanwhile, sat vacant south of the Canadian border. The Philadelphia Phillies have instead endured the intense criticism of a demanding fan base that expected the month of Red October to unfold much differently.

The organization enters a crucial MLB offseason under pressure to make changes to a roster that's fallen narrowly short of World Series expectations in four consecutive postseasons. Conversations about the need for changes have swirled since the painful playoff exit.

The most passionate sports market in the United States won't obediently keep patience if Dave Dombrowski and the Phillies "run it back" without major roster changes. However, fans and media must define their expectations more carefully based on the individual circumstances the Phillies will face during the MLB offseason.

The idea to “run it back” with the same core group of hitters that’s gone cold in four consecutive MLB Postseason runs has sparked frustration. A lineup leaning mostly on a “core” of hitters who built their reputations in other organizations has shown playoff vulnerabilities.

The Phillies finally became serious about contention by acquiring Bryce Harper and J.T. Realmuto in 2019. They signed Kyle Schwarber and Nick Castellanos in a free agent spending entering 2022, and Trea Turner joined the core one year later.

The spotlight shines most brightly on the shortcomings of the five high-priced sluggers after each October disappointment. Dombrowski, however, hasn't shown indications that he's identified a fatal flaw in the lineup he's constructed.

The Phillies have built and restocked their pitching pipeline as the foundation of a franchise in consistent World Series contention. The pitching staff has evolved successfully in a way the offense hasn’t, but their accomplishments sometimes pale in comparison.

Dombrowski and the front office deserve considerable credit for the additions of Jesus Luzardo and Jhoan Duran to boost an already strong pitching staff. The questions center more around the offense.

Dombrowski’s perceived lack of urgency has shaped recent conversations on the sports radio airwaves. The future Hall of Fame executive returned extremely similar lineups after playoff exits in 2023 and 2024. His tone during his end-of-season media availability didn’t suggest much regret or intention to build the 2026 Phillies differently.

Will Dombrowski run it back for the third consecutive season expecting different results?

Dombrowski’s most impactful decisions during the upcoming MLB offseason will center around keeping the current Phillies lineup “core” intact with Schwarber and Realmuto reaching free agency.

Nick Castellanos almost certainly won’t return for the final season of his contract in 2026.

The Phillies have clearly expressed the priority to re-sign Schwarber, the 2025 lineup’s centerpiece and the undisputed leader of their clubhouse. Realmuto’s invaluable impact on the pitching staff makes it difficult to imagine life without the catcher who Rob Thomson called the “captain” and “backbone” of the Phillies last season.

Losing either one of the two veterans would invalidate the “run it back” criticism. However, the Phillies have no clear path to a future without either of them.

If the Phillies offer long-term deals to Schwarber entering his age-33 season and Realmuto entering his age-35 season, conversely, they handcuff their ability to shake up an aging lineup that looked stale for long stretches of 2025.

Could Dombrowski reshuffle his lineup more creatively while keeping Schwarber and Realmuto? Harper and Turner will also return on long-term contracts. Brandon Marsh and Bryson Stott improved the outlook on their respective futures with strong offensive performances in the second half of 2025.

The outfield, on the surface, looks like the clearest position group with future flexibility. The Phillies could make a marginal additional at a similar price they paid for Max Kepler last offseason and hope for better success.

Fans and media generally refer to the five external additions – Harper, Realmuto, Schwarber, Castellanos, Turner – as the lineup’s core during the recent era defined by incomplete World Series dreams. However, homegrown third baseman Alec Bohm ranks third on the Phillies in at-bats since 2022 behind only Schwarber and Castellanos.

Bohm is entering the final season under club control with an estimated $10 million due in arbitration. The flexibility to trade Bohm offers Dombrowski his clearest path to changing the lineup’s dynamic while adding a return piece and subtracting a player with less impact on the franchise than glue guys Schwarber and Realmuto.

The MLB offseason flowchart includes a wide variety of scenarios involving the Phillies. A decision from Schwarber or Realmuto to sign a free agent deal with another club could enact a domino effect that forces Dombrowski's hand in another area. One key trade could also change the outlook unexpectedly.

The future Hall of Fame executive, however, faces a crucial turning point offseason with his Philadelphia legacy on the line.