3 Biggest Questions Facing Phillies Entering Crucial Offseason

The 2026 season is over for the Philadelphia Phillies following a tough defeat at the hands of the rival Atlanta Braves.

Philadelphia was able to make the playoffs, but they fell short in the National League wild-card series. Now, this team enters a crucial offseason that could define the next few years for the organization.

Here are three of the biggest questions around the Phillies entering the critical winter.

1. Can Trea Turner Turn His Career Around?

One of the bigger questions is whether the Phillies can fix Turner this offseason. Turner had the worst season of his MLB career since his rookie year, and he is now a liability on defense.

There are talks that he could be asked to switch positions from shortstop, which is something that he has never wanted to do. But Turner still has seven more years left on his current contract, and the Phillies aren't getting out from under it for a long time.

Overall, Turner hit .242 with 19 home runs and 58 RBIs, while posting an OPS of .675. If he can't get back to being his old self, the Phillies could be in some trouble moving forward.

2. Who Will Manage the Team?

This is going to be something that is heavily discussed throughout the offseason until the Phillies make an official hire. Interim manager Don Mattingly isn't expected to return, even with the support of multiple players after the postseason ended.

Mattingly did a good job with the Phillies this season, leading them to the playoffs, but his fate has been sealed for months. Philadelphia has been eyeing former Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora for some time now, and there is an expectation that this will happen at some point.

Assuming Cora does get hired, it could bring a breath of fresh air to the team. But unless there are changes to the roster, there could be more of the same for this Phillies team.

3. Can This Core Still Get it Done?

Amid all the talk about Turner and who the next manager will be, there needs to be an honest assessment about whether this core group can get the job done. Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper still can perform at a high level, but they will both be 34 by the time next season starts.

J.T. Realmuto is 35, Turner is 33, Zack Wheeler is 36, Aaron Nola is 33, and so on. This group isn't getting any younger, and it may be time for some big changes.

The Phillies can't keep bringing back almost the same roster year after year, hoping for different results. This core can get them to the playoffs, that has been proven, but once there, the group just hasn't worked out.