In March 2022, days away from the start of the 2022 season, the Philadelphia Phillies made two critical acquisitions, signing outfielders Kyle Schwarber and Nick Castellanos to respective four- and five-year contracts for an overall sum of $179 million.
Four years later, the Phillies have reached a crossroads.
Following the Los Angeles Dodgers' win in Game 7 of the World Series, Major League Baseball’s free agency period officially opened. This offseason, the Phillies could potentially see not just one, but both of their longest-tenured outfielders in different uniforms next season.
Now, before we get too deep into it, let’s address the elephant in the room: Kyle Schwarber is primarily a designated hitter now, but he was signed to play left field. Through his first two seasons in Philadelphia, Schwarber played 242 games in the corner outfield position. Following the return of Bryce Harper to full duty following his torn UCL, Schwarber has transitioned to designated hitter in a full-time capacity. In the past two seasons, he has made an occasional spot start, 13 overall, in left field.
There is a good reason for Schwarber being the designated hitter. Over just four seasons in Philadelphia, he has hit 187 home runs, placing him 12th all-time in a Phillies uniform. Meanwhile, Schwarber’s defense has been the opposite, earning outs above average (OAA) in the bottom percentile in both 2022 and 2023 (-18 and -12, respectively). Schwarber’s low speed and subpar arm strength meant he occupied an outfield spot without adding defensive value.
Entering free agency, the Phillies have made it clear that re-signing Schwarber is their top priority. If the stars do not align, however, and Schwarber signs with a competitor, then the Phillies will be left with a hole to be filled at DH and potentially some added flexibility in the outfield as a result.
Flipping to the opposite corner in the outfield, Nick Castellanos had made himself a cornerstone in the position for the Phillies. Since Harper’s injury all but removed him from consideration in the outfield, Castellanos had started nearly every game in right field for the Phillies, providing a streaky yet overall productive bat with plus-power in the lineup.
Until he wasn’t.
The 2025 season saw Castellanos hitting a career-low .250 and a .694 OPS. Combine the drop in production with a poor defensive track record (despite a proclivity to make flashy plays), and the Phillies were in a position where Rob Thomson had to bench Castellanos, eventually implementing a full outfield platoon by season’s end.
Given the drop in production and the potentially strained relationship between Castellanos and Thomson, including multiple comments and an altercation between the two earlier this season, it very well may be that the Phillies part ways with Castellanos. With his price tag coming in at $20 million for 2026, the Phillies will either need to eat a large portion of that contract to trade him or outright release the 33-year-old altogether.
It is worth noting that Max Kepler will also return to free agency after his less-than-stellar season with the Phillies. Harrison Bader will mark another outfielder entering free agency unless he agrees to the $10 million mutual option for 2026 baked into his contract. Given his strong finish to 2025, featuring a .305 average with the Phillies and a 124 OPS+, he will likely seek a larger contract.
That leaves, as free agency opens, two names in serious contention for the outfield in 2026: Brandon Marsh and Johan Rojas. The two outfielders have been paired together at different points over the last two seasons as a left-right platoon, with Rojas eventually getting sent back to AAA Lehigh Valley in 2025.
Rojas, a speedster who has yet to figure out his offensive niche in the Major Leagues, is likely to start the year as a fourth outfielder unless he proves the team otherwise in Spring Training.
Marsh, meanwhile, had a tale of two seasons in 2025. After starting the year 4-for-42, Marsh went on the injured list with a hamstring injury. After returning in May, Marsh hit .303 with an .836 OPS. Alec Bohm’s roommate has certainly earned himself another chance for 2026, but concerns remain regarding his abilities against left-handed pitching.
With Marsh and Rojas as the only definitive options, there remain several holes to fill. There is a chance at least one hole is filled by an internal candidate. Justin Crawford remains the Phillies’ third-best-rated prospect and is 54th in all of baseball. The young outfielder was expected to join the team at some point during 2025, with Dave Dombrowski admitting he was likely ready to join the team at the Trade Deadline so long as they could provide him sufficient at-bats. Given that context, Crawford will likely get an extended look to make the team this spring.
He is not the only potential prospect to make a splash. Gabriel Rincones Jr. hit a camp-leading three home runs down in Clearwater. In a full season at AAA Lehigh Valley, Rincones hit a solid .800 OPS with 18 home runs over 119 games, projecting out to 24 home runs over a 162-game season. Dombrowski mentioned Rincones in his end-of-season remarks as a player to watch for. The next step will be for the Phillies to add him to the 40-man roster before Nov. 18 to ensure his safety from the upcoming Rule 5 Draft.
Bader is certainly a candidate, connecting really well with the team and with the City of Philadelphia during his short sojourn with the city. If the Phillies do not believe the aforementioned pieces are enough for their outfield, Bader could return for a relatively low two-year contract under $30 million.
The Phillies could also look externally at potential free agents, such as Kyle Tucker or Luis Robert Jr., and have been linked in the past to trade targets, such as Bryan Reynolds.
Whether through internal growth or external splash, one thing is certain: the Phillies’ outfield will not look the same when they take the field in 2026. Let the offseason begin.
