The Philadelphia Phillies pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report to Clearwater, Florida, on February 12 for the start of spring training, with the first full-squad workout set for February 17. While the team’s roster is mostly finalized, there is still potential for strengthening depth in two key areas.
The Phillies could benefit from adding another reliever and an outfielder before spring training begins. There are several free agents still available in both positions, and the team might sign them to affordable one-year deals or invite them to spring training.
Last season, the Phillies’ outfielders struggled offensively, with only Nick Castellanos consistently performing at a level worthy of an everyday role. The outfield group as a whole faced challenges throughout the year.
As for the bullpen, it was solid during the regular season. Phillies President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski acquired Carlos Estévez at the trade deadline, bolstering the closer role that had been a weakness early in the season. However, José Alvarado’s struggles in the second half, particularly as a late-inning reliever, hindered the bullpen’s effectiveness.
The bullpen’s performance, however, became a major issue in the NLDS against the New York Mets, contributing significantly to the Phillies’ series loss. Despite a relatively solid regular-season performance, the relievers posted an 11.37 ERA in the postseason, one of the highest in history.
According to CBS Sports’ Dayn Perry, the team ranked 14th in ERA, 10th in bullpen FIP (fielding independent pitching), and 6th in FanGraphs WAR. The relievers gave up 16 earned runs over 12 2/3 innings, including seven walks and four home runs, one of which was a series-clinching grand slam by Francisco Lindor in Game 4.
4 good free agent fits for Phillies who are somehow still available
The Phillies need to focus on moving forward into 2025 and, more importantly, improve their performance during the stretch run of the regular season to enter the playoffs with momentum. They showed this was possible in 2022 when they made the playoffs and went on to win their first National League pennant since 2009.
In contrast, last year, the team struggled during the summer and at the end of the regular season, leading to doubts about their ability to beat the Mets in the playoffs due to their performance in the preceding months. While the 2025 roster is mostly set, the Phillies would still benefit from adding another free agent to bolster both their outfield and bullpen.
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