May 26, 2025; Anaheim, California, USA; Los Angeles Angels manager Ron Washington (37) sits in the dugout prior to the game against the New York Yankees at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Tim Kelly and Anthony SanFilippo answer your Phillies questions during the latest On Pattison Mailbag.
Keith Schleicher on Facebook: Is there a RH bat available in FA that could provide lineup protection for Harper, and do the Phillies have any chance of signing that player?
Tim Kelly: Alex Bregman or Pete Alonso would fit that bill, and I do think the Phillies could be players for either one of them (Bregman is probably more likely because he plays a premier position) in the event that Kyle Schwarber doesn't return.
However, I still think Schwarber is the best option out of that trio, and expect that the Phillies will re-sign him. If Schwarber comes back, I would be pretty surprised if the Phillies signed Bregman or Alonso.
Anthony SanFilippo: Tim nailed the two big names, for sure. And he's right, if they re-sign Schwarber (and J.T. Realmuto), that's where most of the free agency dollars are going to go. That said, the plan may not be to find a big bat behind Harper if they decide to flop the two in the order and bat Schwarber behind him, but everyone covets a dangerous top four in the lineup and the Phillies seem to be one short there.
Is there another path they could take? Does Harper agree to bat second instead of third and you put Schwarber in the three hole? Or do you find a competent bat that's an upgrade from Alec Bohm who you can either slot between them, or bat second while Harper and Schwarber hit third and fourth respectively? In order to find that, such a player needs to just be better than Bohm. That's not asking for a lot, if we're being honest.
Bregman fits that bill best, but might be too pricy considering Schwarber and Realmuto. The Phillies have already been mentioned as a possible suitor for Japanese corner infielder Munetaka Murakam, though he's also a left-handed hitter. They also could go the trade route and find a bat that we aren't thinking of at the moment. All that to say, they'll need Harper to be flexible in where he's situated in the batting order. That's probably the easiest path to him seeing more pitches to hit.
Also, 👀 on this from Dave earlier today on @FoulTerritoryTV.
“We know this is a real big winter time for us. We’ve been talking about this for weeks. And, I’ve proposed something to him that he’s given me an approval on it so I know where my payroll is and it’s still a very… pic.twitter.com/f1xDLmv5gn
— Jack Fritz (@JackFritzWIP) October 23, 2025
Rob Wyatt on X: What is your read on Dombrowski’s quote, “It’s still a hefty payroll”. I wouldn’t think that necessarily means they are increasing payroll, as others may think.
Tim Kelly: I take it pretty much at face value, to be honest.
According to Spotrac, the Phillies' total payroll allocations this past season were just over $290 million. Only the Dodgers ($350 million), Mets ($341 million) and Yankees ($304 million) had higher payrolls. Anyone who suggests that the Phillies have been cheap is ignorant. And I anticipate they'll again have a top-five payroll next year.
There are definitely areas where the Phillies could spend less next year. Schwarber ($20 million), J.T. Realmuto ($23.875 million), Max Kepler ($10 million) and Ranger Suárez ($8.8 million) are among those coming off the books. If Realmuto comes back, it will be at a lower price. The Phillies could opt to replace Kepler and/or Suárez internally with much cheaper players.
At the same time, if Schwarber is back — or he isn't, and the Phillies replace him with Bregman or Alonso — he'll be making significantly more than $20 million.
The Phillies could have a cheaper payroll on Opening Day 2026 than what they finished the 2025 season with, but that leaves them with room for inevitable midseason additions. And no matter what, they are going to carry one of the larger payrolls in baseball — hefty, you might even say.
Anthony SanFilippo: Of the things Dombrowski said, I was most intrigued by him saying he presented a proposal to John Milddleton and it was already approved. Knowing how Dombrowski operates, I have to imagine it pushes a little bit further than last year, but not by a whole lot. I would bet the Phillies will exceed $300 million in committed salary in 2026, by the time we reach Opening Day (which is only 153 days away, if you are counting at home).
They aren't the Dodgers, but nobody is. The Phillies, though, will always be that next tier along with the Mets and Yankees. The Phillies are a have. Fans should be happy about that.
Tom Robson on Bluesky: Who would you like to see become Topper's bench coach?
Tim Kelly: It kind of depends what the Phillies want. Do they just want another veteran baseball man for Thomson to lean on, or are they interested in someone that could theoretically be their next manager?
If you're looking for a bench coach that falls under the former category, Bud Black, Ron Washington and Fredi Gonzalez would be among those who could make sense.
If it's the latter, Rocco Baldelli, David Ross, Derek Shelton and Brandon Hyde are all former managers that could be gettable.
Black, Washington and Gonzalez all have spent lifetimes in the sport and I think would be really valuable assets with their experience. I'd probably lean in the direction of someone of that ilk.
Anthony SanFilippo: I have one other name that I like — Davey Martinez. The guy has the experience that Dombrowski talked about at his post mortem presser last week. He's won a World Series. He has a relationship with Harper, Trea Turner and Schwarber, assuming he's back.
Yeah, he might be looking to land another managerial gig, and that could put him behind some of the other guys who Tim mentioned, that also make sense. But if Martinez reads the tea leaves, he could see the Phillies might be looking to have a ready-made replacement for Thomson if things go sideways in 2026. And so, he could fall into a spot where he could have a contending team right away, and not have to worry about building trust over time to get them there.
It could be a true win/win for all involved.
Sherman on X: Here's my idea for the off season. Get Bellinger and Bregman. Get rid of Castellanos, Marsh, Bohm. Re-sign Bader, I guess Kepler, and JT. Try to re-sign Schwarber. That's as far as I've thought. What say you?
Tim Kelly: Bellinger and Bregman will make between $20 and $30 million next year. Ditto for Schwarber. Even if you offload Castellanos — which it appears they will — you're going to be on the hook for most or all of the $20 million he's making next season. Bader is going to get at least $10 million per year on a multi-year deal. Realmuto will probably get like $15 million. Dave Dombrowski already indicated Kepler is unlikely to return. He's also said the Phillies won't have a $400 million payroll, which I think squashes your plan.
Anthony SanFilippo: Were we not dealing with real dollars and could use funny money, I'm all in with you (except Kepler). But, the reality is, we're talking about $300 million real dollars. There's no way to sign four big-money free agents and still come in around that number based on current commitments. The Phillies are going to need to do some of this from within the organization.
Bob Angeli on Facebook: Both Marchan and Stubbs were out of options last year, what is their status going into next year?
Tim Kelly: Well Stubbs actually wasn't out of options last year, he had one more remaining. That's why he — unlike Marchán, who was out of options — could be sent to Triple-A. Both are now out of options.
I know the Phillies were very happy with how Marchán performed last year, and he's going to be part of the solution behind the plate in some manner. It's just a matter of whether that's as Realmuto's backup or perhaps as part of a timeshare with another catcher.
In theory, Stubbs could be the backup to Marchán. I'm not sure that's the best idea, to be honest. I know Stubbs is extremely well respected in the organization. Given that he's out of options, though, it is fair to wonder if he's played his last game with the Phillies. For him to go back to Triple-A moving forward, he would have to clear waivers. It's possible there will be a team willing to make him their backup.
Anthony SanFilippo: Marchán will be here - and not just because he's out of options, but because the Phillies value what he brings to the table. In their ideal world, it'll be the same situation as 2025. If not, he'll have a bigger role.
I get the sense Stubbs would come back here on a minor-league invite if he wasn't guaranteed a gig by another major league team. The Phillies respect all the work he does with pitching staffs and developing young pitchers (he was rewarded by being the September callup for all the work he did in Lehigh Valley in 2025). They'd love to keep him in the organization, but they aren't going to be crushed if he leaves for a better opportunity elsewhere.
