Insider Suggests Drastic Changes After Phillies Hit a Wall Again

The Philadelphia Phillies are running out of time to claim a title with their aging core.

by Ezra Lombardi

Oct 2, 2026

Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber (12) and Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper (3) celebrate win against the Tampa Bay Rays at Citizens Bank Park.

Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

The end of an MLB season is brutal, and big postseason losses almost always result in overreactions.

But of all the Wild Card Series exits, the Philadelphia Phillies‘ postmortem sure seems to signal the grimmest outlook. Veteran and face of the team Bryce Harper did not shy away from this reality in his comments postgame when he admitted “the team is going to look a lot different next year.”

This quote, along with the reality that Philadelphia has been unable to get over the hump with their current core, has many wondering what kind of roster shakeup is needed for the Phillies to take another step before Harper, Kyle Schwarber, Trea Turner, and others are done playing.

Insider Predicts Phillies Could Trade Bryce Harper or Kyle Schwarber

MLB insider Ken Rosenthal is among this group speculating, and he offered a bold but definitive stance on what the Phillies need to do in a piece for The Athletic. Within his suggestions, Rosenthal said that president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski needs to consider trading one of either Harper or Schwarber.

Harper and Schwarber are both 33 years old and enjoy no-trade protections in their contracts, which span for the next five and four seasons, respectively. If Dombrowski and the Phillies want to pull the plug on one of their stars, it will have to be an approved decision.

Harper signed on to his 13-year, $330 million contract in 2019 with no possible opt-outs and a full no-trade clause, intent on spending the rest of his career with one team. So if he and the Phillies are going to move on, it will be the result of a change in heart from the 15-year vet.

Schwarber obtained his no-trade protection through 10 years of MLB service and five consecutive with the same club. Now just one year into his 5-year, $150 million deal with the Phillies, it would come as quite a surprise to see both sides go back on last offseason’s commitment.

Both players have put together impressive seasons at the plate throughout the early part of their 30s, and there would certainly be several contending teams looking to add pop that would take on their relatively manageable contracts, especially considering the lack of bats in this year’s free agent class. If the Phillies do decide to split the pair up, this could be their last opportunity to get a decent return before their production starts to diminish.

But it remains a tricky situation, as the return would have to help the roster win now rather than begin a rebuild, with Philadelphia’s excellent rotation in their prime and under contract for the next few years. It will be a long offseason for Dombrowski as he tries to sift through how to bolster, repair, or reinvent his roster while very likely bringing on a new manager in Alex Cora.