The Philadelphia Phillies have a few glaring needs that have to be addressed on their roster this offseason, and free agency was lining up in their favor.
Their biggest need in the lineup was in the outfield. The Phillies need at least one everyday starter, likely at least two additions to complement the players who are currently on the roster so that manager Don Mattingly has options to mix and match with.
On the pitching staff, depth is needed everywhere. A sixth starter who can step into the rotation in a pinch or offer some long relief to help keep the bullpen fresh is needed. But the bullpen needs help to bridge the gap to All-Star closer Jhoan Duran.
Unfortunately for the Phillies, a lot of their plans likely have to change after the decisions other teams around MLB made with their qualifying offers ahead of the Nov. 2 deadline. Philadelphia didn't offer one to their own free agent, Alec Bohm, which might come back to bite them .
Sep 13, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Seattle Mariners left fielder Randy Arozarena (56) hits a solo home run against Athletics pitcher Hogan Harris (not pictured) during the eighth inning at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Eight players in total received the qualifying offer, and at least three of them would have been perfect fits for the Phillies in free agency: Seattle Mariners outfielder Randy Arozarena , Chicago Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki and San Diego Padres left-handed relief pitcher Adrian Morejon .
However, there might be hesitancies now on their front office's part because of the harsh penalties that face teams in the position they are for signing players who decline a qualifying offer.
Because Philadelphia exceeded the luxury tax, they will have to surrender their second and fifth highest selections in the upcoming MLB draft along with $1 million from their international bonus pool. If multiple players who declined qualifying offers are signed, they would have to forfeit their third and sixth highest draft picks as well.
It will certainly be interesting to see how those decisions alter the Phillies' plans. They desperately need to add an outfielder, but do more than just add a reclamation project on a one-year deal as they have done the last two winters with Max Kepler and Adolis Garcia.
Committing to Arozarena or Suzuki long-term would be a great fit, but are the qualifying offer penalties worth the team paying? Philadelphia is certainly in win-now mode with their window to contend rapidly closing, but can Dombrowski justify sacrificing two draft picks with their farm system already near the bottom of the league, and international pool money on top of it?
Morejon would look great in their bullpen as the left-handed late-game option to complement rising star Alex McFarlane ahead of Duran. But it would be hard to justify a lucrative long-term deal, multiple draft picks and $1 million to bring him in.
Adding those three would have instantly elevated the team's floor and ceiling, but even signing one of them has become a challenge for the franchise.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/phillies/onsi as Phillies Free Agency Plans Complicated by Qualifying Offer Decisions .
