The Philadelphia Phillies are getting set for an important winter, and how they look to attack it will be interesting.
Coming off another early exit from the postseason, the Phillies seem to be aware that something has to change. This is a team with a lot of talent, and last year they shook things up with the firing of Rob Thomson.
Don Mattingly came in and got this team from 10 games under .500 to being in the playoffs, but they were a flawed group. Philadelphia tried to address some of their flaws at the trade deadline, but still fell short.
Now, as the team prepares for the winter, there will be a couple of needs for the team. The Phillies will hope that some of their young players keep getting better, but they will undoubtedly need to seek external upgrades as well.
Due to them already being on the hook for a lot of money heading into next season, just how much they will be willing to spend will be interesting to see. However, there could be some good options available.
One potential free agent that the Phillies could pursue at a reasonable number would be Taylor Ward.
Ward Would Be a Great Addition
Last offseason, Ward was traded in a big deal between the Los Angeles Angels and the Baltimore Orioles. The talented slugger was coming off a massive year with the Angels in 2025, totaling 36 home runs and 103 RBI.
He figured to be a major part of the Orioles lineup for 2026, but those types of numbers never really happened. While he didn’t play poorly for Baltimore, he wasn’t the same level of impact player as he was the year prior.
Ultimately, he was traded to the Seattle Mariners, and he really struggled there. Ward figured to be a player that could have helped the Phillies at the trade deadline last year, and he certainly could fill a need once again.
However, it is a bit of a challenge to determine what type of player he might be, with some ups and downs. However, he is a right-handed hitter who plays the outfield, and that would check two boxes for Philadelphia.
Due to the struggles last year, the price tag for him would surely be reasonable, and for a team that has a massive payroll heading into next year, that is a very good thing. Overall, while he isn’t a perfect addition, he would be a very strong one and fill some needs for Philadelphia.
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