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  • Phillies spring training 2026: TV schedule, new rules, changes to NBC Sports Philadelphia

    Phillies spring training 2026: TV schedule, new rules, changes to NBC Sports Philadelphia

    After a cold, snow-filled winter in Philadelphia, the city is finally getting its first glimpse at spring, thanks to the Phillies.

    The Phillies’ 2026 spring training schedule kicks off Saturday afternoon against the Toronto Blue Jays in Dunedin, Fla., followed by their Clearwater debut Sunday at BayCare Ballpark, their Sunshine State home since 2004.

    Fans will be able to tune in to more spring training games than ever. Between NBC Sports Philadelphia, the MLB Network, 94.1 WIP, and the Phillies themselves, there will be a broadcast for all but three games of this year’s 30-game Grapefruit League schedule.

    Despite a roster that looks remarkably similar to last year’s squad, there are some interesting story lines for Phillies fans to follow this spring. Top of the list is how top pitching prospect Andrew Painter performs with a spot in the rotation up for grabs.

    There’s also Aidan Miller, the No. 23 prospect in baseball. The 22-year-old shortstop is expected to start the season in Triple-A, but will get some playing time at third base during spring training, according to my colleague Scott Lauber. That would set up Miller for an early promotion if Alex Bohm gets off to a slow start.

    As far as new faces, the most prominent is outfielder Adolis García, who is replacing Nick Castellanos and is just two seasons removed from hitting 39 home runs for the Texas Rangers.

    Here’s everything you need to know to watch or stream Phillies spring training games:

    What channel are Phillies spring training games on?

    Phillies broadcasters Tom McCarthy (left) and John Kruk will be back again for NBC Sports Philadelphia.

    The bulk of the Phillies’ televised spring training games will air on NBC Sports Philadelphia, which plans to broadcast 17 games — nine on the main channel and eight on NBC Sports Philadelphia+. That’s a big jump from last year, when it aired 12 games.

    The schedule includes an exhibition game against Team Canada on March 4 serving as a warm-up for this year’s World Baseball Classic. The multicountry tournament begins on March 5 in Tokyo, and the Phillies will be well-represented — 11 players, including Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber, will leave spring training early to participate.

    Returning for his 19th season as the TV voice of the Phillies is play-by-play announcer Tom McCarthy, who will be joined in the booth by a familiar cast of analysts that includes Rubén Amaro Jr., Ben Davis, and John Kruk.

    MLB Network will broadcast six Phillies spring training games (though just two will be available in the Philly TV market due to blackout rules). ESPN won’t be airing any — the network is broadcasting just four spring training games on their main channel, and six more on its ESPN Unlimited subscription service.

    Radio listeners can tune into 94.1 WIP to hear 10 weekend games. Play-by-play announcer Scott Franzke is back for his 21st season calling the Phillies, joined once again by a rotation featuring veteran analyst Larry Anderson and Kevin Stocker.

    Cole Hamels will be back, but not Taryn Hatcher

    Former Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels (right) called nine games last season for NBC Sports Philadelphia.

    A little bit of Hollywood will be back in the Phillies booth this season.

    2008 World Series MVP Cole Hamels will call a few spring training games for the second straight season, beginning in the middle of March. Hamels was something of a natural in the booth last season, calling the nine regular-season games he worked a “crash course” in broadcasting.

    “I tried to tell myself, ‘Don’t overtalk. Don’t be long-winded. Don’t just talk to talk,’” Hamels told The Inquirer in September. “I start watching the game and enjoying it, and I forget sometimes I have to talk.”

    Taryn Hatcher, seen here during a 2019 media softball game.

    One NBC Sports personality who won’t be back is Taryn Hatcher, who joined the network in 2018 and spent the past few seasons covering the game as an in-stadium reporter.

    Hatcher’s contract wasn’t renewed at the end of the year and NBC Sports Philadelphia eliminated the position, according to sources.

    Sadly, it wouldn’t be the first time. In the past few years NBC Sports Philadelphia has hired a number of in-game reporters they haven’t kept, including Jessica Camerato, Molly Sullivan, and Serena Winters. They also said goodbye to longtime Phillies reporter Gregg Murphy in 2020, who is now the team’s pre- and postgame radio host.

    Can I stream Phillies spring training games?

    For the second straight season, Phillies fans will be able to stream spring training games without a cable subscription.

    NBC Sports Philadelphia is available directly through MLB.com for $24.99 a month. You can also get the network as an add-on to your Peacock subscription for the same price, though you’ll need to have a premium plan, which runs $10.99 a month.

    You can also stream NBC Sports Philadelphia on Hulu + Live TV and YouTube TV, which will soon roll out a skinny sports bundle. And NBC Sports Philadelphia will stream its games on the NBC Sports app, but a subscription to a cable service is required.

    One streaming service where you won’t find the network is Fubo, which hasn’t broadcast any NBC channels since November due to a carriage dispute. NBC Sports Philadelphia is also not available on Sling TV or DirecTV Stream.

    For the third straight season, the Phillies will also exclusively stream a handful of spring training games from BayCare Ballpark for free on the team’s website.

    The team will also provide an audio-only feed for a few midweek road games that aren’t airing on WIP.

    Are there any new MLB rules in spring training?

    Umpires will have their balls and strikes face challenges this season.

    There aren’t any new rules in play during spring training, but MLB is fully rolling out its automatic ball-strike (ABS) challenge system ahead of its launch in the regular season. The Phillies plan on giving it a healthy test drive.

    The rules are pretty straightforward. Pitchers, catchers, or batters can challenge a ball or strike by taping their head immediately after the umpire’s call.

    Each team starts the game with two challenges, which they only lose when a challenge is unsuccessful. If a team has no challenges remaining and the game goes into extra innings, they’re awarded one per inning until the game is over.

    Phillies news and spring training updates

    Trea Turner fields a ground ball during spring training Wednesday.

    When is opening day for the Phillies?

    The Phillies will open the season against the Texas Rangers at Citizens Bank Park.

    The Phillies are scheduled to open the 2026 season on March 26 against the Texas Rangers at Citizens Bank Park, where the team will hang its 2025 NL East pennant.

    The Phillies have had several memorable openers since they were defeated, 4-3, by Old Hoss Radbourn of the Providence Grays on May 1, 1883. Here are nine of the more memorable season openers in franchise history.

    Phillies spring training TV schedule 2026

    • Saturday: Phillies at Blue Jays, 1:07 p.m. (NBC Sports Philadelphia, 94.1 WIP)
    • Sunday: Pirates at Phillies, 1:05 p.m. (NBC Sports Philadelphia, 94.1 WIP)
    • Monday: Phillies at Nationals, 6:05 p.m. (Phillies webcast, 94.1 WIP)
    • Tuesday: Phillies at Marlins, 1:10 p.m. (Phillies audio feed)
    • Wednesday: Tigers at Phillies, 1:05 p.m. (NBC Sports Philadelphia+)
    • Thursday: Nationals at Phillies, 1:05 p.m.
    • Friday, Feb. 27: Phillies at Tigers and vs. Marlins (split team), 1:05 p.m. (NBC Sports Philadelphia+)
    • Saturday, Feb. 28: Phillies at Blue Jays, 1:07 p.m. (NBC Sports Philadelphia, 94.1 WIP)
    • Sunday, March 1: Yankees at Phillies, 1:05 p.m. (NBC Sports Philadelphia, 94.1 WIP)
    • Tuesday, March 3: Phillies at Rays, 1:05 p.m.
    • Wednesday, March 4: Team Canada at Phillies (World Baseball Classic exhibition), 1:05 p.m. (NBC Sports Philadelphia+)
    • Thursday, March 5: Red Sox at Phillies, 1:05 p.m. (NBC Sports Philadelphia+, MLB Network, Phillies audio feed)
    • Friday, March 6: Phillies at Pirates, 1:05 p.m. (94.1 WIP)
    • Saturday, March 7: Blue Jays at Phillies, 1:05 p.m. (Phillies webcast)
    • Sunday, March 8: Phillies at Twins, 1:05 p.m. (NBC Sports Philadelphia, 94.1 WIP)
    • Monday, March 9: Phillies at Red Sox, 1:05 p.m. (Phillies audio feed)
    • Tuesday, March 10: Yankees at Phillies, 1:05 p.m. (NBC Sports Philadelphia+)
    • Thursday, March 12: Blue Jays at Phillies, 1:05 p.m. (Phillies webcast)
    • Friday, March 13: Orioles at Phillies, 1:05 p.m. (NBC Sports Philadelphia+)
    • Saturday, March 14: Phillies at Yankees, 1:05 p.m. (NBC Sports Philadelphia+, 94.1 WIP)
    • Sunday, March 15: Braves at Phillies, 1:05 p.m. (NBC Sports Philadelphia, 94.1 WIP)
    • Monday, March 16: Phillies at Tigers, 1:05 p.m. (Phillies audio feed)
    • Tuesday, March 17: Twins at Phillies, 1:05 p.m. (NBC Sports Philadelphia+)
    • Wednesday, March 18: Phillies at Braves, 1:05 p.m. (Phillies audio feed)
    • Thursday, March 19: Rays at Phillies, 1:05 p.m. (Phillies webcast)
    • Thursday, March 19: Twins prospects at Phillies prospects, 1:05 p.m. (MLB Network)
    • Friday, March 20: Tigers at Phillies, 1:05 p.m. (NBC Sports Philadelphia+)
    • Saturday, March 21: Phillies at Orioles, 1:05 p.m.
    • Saturday, March 21: Blue Jays prospects at Phillies prospects, 1:05 p.m. (NBC Sports Philadelphia+, MLB Network)
    • Sunday, March 22: Phillies at Yankees, 1:05 p.m. (NBC Sports Philadelphia, 94.1 WIP)
    • Monday, March 23: Rays at Phillies, 12:05 p.m. (Phillies webcast)
  • The Phillies’ Trea Turner was still the fastest man in the league at 32. And it’s not due just to ‘genetics.’

    The Phillies’ Trea Turner was still the fastest man in the league at 32. And it’s not due just to ‘genetics.’

    CLEARWATER, Fla. — The fastest man in the National League in 2015 still wears the crown, which seems impossible until Trea Turner shares his secret.

    “I pay attention to a lot of little things,” the Phillies‘ star shortstop said Wednesday, “that maybe other guys don’t.”

    OK, such as?

    “Things that happen to all of us all the time,” Turner said. “I walk down my stairs and I’m like, ‘Oh, my knee’s kind of feeling weird today,’ or I wake up and sleep wrong. Then, I’ll get to the field and ask questions in the training room.

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    “Sometimes it might be annoying, where I just keep asking questions. But when something bothers me, I try to find out why so that, if it does happen again, I get rid of it real quick.

    “Like I said, I pay attention more than probably other guys.”

    And that, Turner said, explains how he hasn’t lost a step 10 years into his major league career. If anything, he may be a tick faster. As a 23-year-old rookie with the Nationals in 2016, he averaged 30 feet per second, according to Statcast. Last season, at age 32, he averaged 30.3.

    Turner also led the majors last year with 117 bolts, defined by Statcast as any run above 30 feet per second. The only other player with more than 100 bolts: Royals 25-year-old star shortstop Bobby Witt Jr.

    It’s as uncommon as it sounds. Of the 28 fastest players in baseball last season based on sprint speed, only three — Turner, Twins center fielder Byron Buxton, and Braves utility man Eli White — were in their 30s.

    “I still feel young,” said Turner, who will turn 33 on June 30. “I don’t feel as old as I am, which, I don’t think I’m old. But I don’t feel as old as I am. Hopefully I can continue that for a while.”

    As always, it will hinge on health. Turner did miss time in each of the last two seasons with hamstring strains. Ever curious, he sought the root of each injury. He believes last year’s injury, a mild strain of his right hamstring while running to first base Sept. 7 in Miami, was caused by dehydration.

    Through the years, Turner has changed his nutritional habits. He cut out soda several years ago. He eats more carefully now, taking cues from Bryce Harper, Aaron Nola, and other teammates.

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    “Genetics, I’d say, is a big part of it,” said Brett Austin, Turner’s college teammate and close friend. “But I think his offseason program really allows him to optimize and maintain his speed.”

    Indeed, the biggest reason Turner has remained in the fast lane is a training routine that he has followed since he was a teenager.

    In high school, he met Ed Smith, a physical therapist and strength coach who worked with major leaguers at a facility in Wellington, Fla., near Turner’s hometown. Back then, Turner was 5-foot-4 and bony. He was taller but still skinny when he arrived on campus at North Carolina State, where coach Elliot Avent nicknamed him “Seabiscuit” after the famously undersized champion racehorse.

    A training routine he has followed since he was a teenager has allowed Trea Turner to remain one of the game’s fastest players at age 32.

    As a freshman, Turner led the nation with 57 stolen bases. But when he went home after the season, he asked Smith to help improve his running form.

    “He hated the weight room. Hated it,” Austin said. “I’d go, ‘Dude, you need to get big. You need to get strong.’ He was like, ‘I don’t want to lose my speed.’ And he would go see Ed and do his explosion drills, his speed and agility, his laterals.

    “They still work together every offseason. If I had to guess, that’s just allowed him to have the longevity and maintain his speed.”

    Turner works out with Smith multiple times per week in the winter. During the season, he speaks by phone with Smith at least monthly and texts him more often with questions. He takes feedback from Smith and shares it with the Phillies’ staff, notably athletic trainer Paul Buchheit and strength coaches Morgan Gregory and Furey Leva.

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    Because as much pride as Turner takes in still being faster than most players, he focuses more on maintaining that speed. Since making his major-league debut, his average sprint speed has ranged from 30.6 feet per second in 2015 and 2021 to 29.6 in 2024. Only once has he not finished among the six fastest players in baseball.

    “Some guys are fast for a year or two years, and then an injury pops up and they might not be the same again,” Turner said. “I don’t want that to happen. I’ve tried to become a complete player, so if I ever lose my speed, I want to be able to contribute. But it also would change who I am.

    “If I lose a step, I lose a step. That’s OK. But if I’m running at 29 feet per second instead of 30, I can still impact the game. That’s still moving. But you’ve got to run correctly to do that.”

    Shortstop Trea Turner, who will be 33 in June, enters his fourth season with the Phillies.

    Turner will be challenged to remain in the pole position for the Phillies. Rookie center fielder Justin Crawford, 22, is a burner, with a top recorded speed of 31.1 feet per second in triple A last season. Johan Rojas, a candidate to make the team as a reserve outfielder, averaged 30.1 feet per second over the last two seasons.

    But the fastest man in the league in 2015 was still at the top of the leader board in 2025, with no sign of slowing down.

    “I’ve seen the numbers, and I’m proud of them,” Turner said. “Because when you look at those charts, you don’t see many 30-year-olds. And even if you do, it’s really low volume. I think it’s pretty cool. I take pride in it, and I think it’s cool for the people around me that help me do it. It’s something they should be proud of, too.”

  • Phillies’ Trea Turner on missing the World Baseball Classic: ‘The phone never rang’

    Phillies’ Trea Turner on missing the World Baseball Classic: ‘The phone never rang’

    CLEARWATER, Fla. — Next month will mark three years since Trea Turner made history with one swing at Miami’s LoanDepot Park.

    During the 2023 World Baseball Classic, Turner became the first Team USA player in a decade to hit a grand slam in the tournament. It propelled his team to a come-from-behind win over then-undefeated Venezuela in the quarterfinals, and it was just one of many big moments for Turner that March.

    He finished with five home runs to tie a WBC record, helping his team to a silver medal.

    But this year, when Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, and Brad Keller leave Phillies spring training to join Team USA for the 2026 iteration of the international tournament, Turner will not join them.

    “The phone never rang,” Turner said. “I wish those guys the best. I think it’s so much fun. I gladly would have done it again. I said the last time, if they ever asked, I would say yes. They’ve got a great roster this year, stacked.”

    Team USA manager Mark DeRosa included Kansas City Royals star Bobby Witt Jr. and the Baltimore Orioles’ Gunnar Henderson as shortstops on his roster. Milwaukee’s Brice Turang is the second baseman for the American team, while Toronto’s Ernie Clement is listed as a utility infielder.

    Turner won the National League batting title in 2025 with a .304 average and also had one of the best seasons of his career defensively. He posted +17 outs above average at shortstop, ranking in the 99th percentile at his position according to StatCast data.

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    “I think we’re in a good spot to win,” Turner said of Team USA. “I’ll definitely be watching it, and I wish Kyle and Bryce and all these guys, [Edmundo] Sosa, everyone playing, I hope they perform well for their countries, and it’s a lot of fun.”

    Other WBC participants from the Phillies’ major league roster are Sosa (Panama); Cristopher Sánchez and Johan Rojas (Dominican Republic); Taijuan Walker (Mexico); José Alvarado (Venezuela); Garrett Stubbs and 21-year-old (Israel); and Aaron Nola (Italy).

    Turner knows that Harper, in particular, is excited to play in the WBC. He had planned to join the team alongside Turner in 2023 but was unable to participate after undergoing Tommy John elbow surgery the previous winter.

    The Phillies jog during the first full-squad workout of spring training on Monday.

    “You have to prepare a little bit differently in spring training for that,” Turner said. “You’ve got to kind of get out there earlier, and get your at-bats earlier. So it seems like he’s working harder. But at the same time, he’s just got to get ready, because he’s going to have live at-bats. But he’s competitive.”

    Turner’s own offseason was about the same as usual for him, he said. His main priority this year is maintaining his health, which also happened to be the main theme of manager Rob Thomson’s speech to the team Monday morning ahead of the first official full-squad workout of the spring.

    Turner, 32, missed time in each of the last two seasons with hamstring strains, and he is aiming to prevent that from happening again primarily through nutrition and hydration.

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    “Body feels good. Still feel young, although when I have to play with guys like this and Aidan and whatnot, makes me feel old,” Turner said, gesturing to the nearby lockers of 22-year-old Justin Crawford and 21-year-old Aidan Miller. “But I feel 25. I feel ready.”

    Turner is looking forward to how Crawford and his speed could help lengthen the bottom half of the Phillies’ lineup. He said he hadn’t seen much of Miller before Monday, when they did infield work together.

    “Glove looks good,” Turner said. “Got a chance to talk to him, just trying to get to know him a little bit more. Seems like a great kid, had a good season last year, and excited for him to be around much more and contribute. Because we need guys like that.

    “We need to build depth. We need some younger guys. And I think that’s really important for a good organization.”

  • Phillies 2026 infield outlook: Free-agent options, prospect forecast, and more

    Phillies 2026 infield outlook: Free-agent options, prospect forecast, and more

    While the Phillies are poised for some roster changes in 2026, at the moment it doesn’t seem like those will occur in the infield.

    The Phillies’ outfield has been a revolving door for the last few seasons, but the infield continues to run it back. And according to Dave Dombrowski, that seems to be the plan again. At least, for now.

    “The infield is pretty well solidified,” the Phillies’ president of baseball operations said at his end-of-season news conference on Oct. 16.

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    And indeed, Trea Turner and Bryce Harper are under contract into the 2030s, while Bryson Stott, Edmundo Sosa, and Alec Bohm are arbitration eligible. Barring a trade, there isn’t much room for movement or change.

    Here’s an overview of the Phillies’ infield outlook next season and beyond.

    Trea Turner had his best overall season as a Phillie in 2025, winning the NL batting title with a .304 average and stealing 36 bases.

    Turner’s improvement

    This time last year, there were questions raised about Turner’s long-term future at shortstop after another below-average defensive season. But those questions have been all but put to rest after Turner made significant strides in 2025. His 17 outs above average were the highest of his career and tied for third among shortstops.

    On the offensive side, Turner bought into the Phillies’ plan for him as their new leadoff hitter. Manager Rob Thomson wanted him to focus on using his athleticism and getting on base, rather than hitting homers. Turner did just that, stealing 36 bases and posting a .355 on-base percentage, his best since arriving in Philadelphia. With a .304 batting average, Turner also became the first Phillie to win the batting title since Richie Ashburn in 1958 and was named a Silver Slugger finalist.

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    He may have sacrificed some power to do it, hitting just 15 home runs compared to 21 last season. But overall, Turner did exactly what the Phillies wanted out of him in the regular season, both offensively and defensively.

    “He’s tough on himself,” Dombrowski said. “He’s like one of these guys, if he doesn’t hit 40 home runs and 40 doubles and 40 stolen bases, and lead the league in hitting, he’s probably going to think that he needs to do more.

    “That’s how he is, which is great. That’s a great quality and attribute, but he doesn’t have to hit with any more power for us. He really did a fine job.”

    The Phillies plan to keep Bryce Harper, a Gold Glove finalist for a second straight season, at first base.

    Harper to the outfield?

    Don’t expect Harper to change positions, either, despite the first baseman expressing some willingness last offseason and ahead of the trade deadline to return to the outfield.

    Harper, who earned his second straight Gold Glove nomination at first base this season, has said he would be open to making a position switch if needed for an offensive upgrade. But it doesn’t sound as if the Phillies will consider moving him back to the outfield to add, say, Pete Alonso, who plans to opt out of his contract with the Mets after a 38-homer season.

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    “I think Bryce is a first baseman at this time,” Dombrowski said. “I mean, that’s where we look at him as, and he has asked to go out into the outfield. He would be willing to do so, but I think it would be more for the short term if we had done something at the trading deadline, but it’s been a while since he’s been out [there].

    “I’m sure he’d be fine, but he’s a really good first baseman, and I think for us, that’s the position we look at him playing for us.”

    Harper finished the season with an OPS of .844. Though that still ranked 11th in the National League, it was his lowest since 2016 (.814).

    Dombrowski seemed to lay down a challenge to Harper at his year-end news conference.

    “He’s still an All-Star-caliber player. He didn’t have an elite season like he has had in the past. And I guess we only find out if he becomes elite or he continues to be good,” Dombrowski said. “… He’s the one that will dictate that more than anything else, and that’s what it comes down to.”

    Bryson Stott hit .310 with an .880 OPS from Aug. 1 through the end of the regular season, but still struggled against lefties.

    Second and third base

    Stott continued to be elite defensively at second base, but had a roller-coaster offensive season. He struggled over the first half, but a midyear adjustment to his hand placement led to improved at-bats overall. Stott went from hitting .194 with a .637 OPS in July to a .307 batting average and .864 OPS in August.

    However, Stott’s .575 OPS against lefties kept him in a platoon with Sosa. When called upon, the Phillies’ utility man provided a spark of energy and clutch hits, plus an .895 OPS against left-handers.

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    “I view Stott as an everyday player, but Sosa’s numbers are so good against left-handed pitching that you’ve got to fit him someplace, whether it’s at third base when Bohm was hurt or mixed in for Stott against the lefties,” Thomson said. “So I view Stott as an everyday hitter. I think if he played every single day against left-handed pitching, he’d get better and put up pretty good numbers.”

    On the other hand, Bohm spent last offseason amid a tornado of trade rumors. He will reach free agency in 2027, and his name will likely be floating around this winter, too, as one of the few ways the Phillies can change up their infield. The third baseman was afflicted by injuries — a rib fracture in July and shoulder inflammation in August — and slashed .287/.331/.409.

    While Bohm and Harper were on the injured list at different points this season, Otto Kemp was a key fill-in. He hit .234 with 28 RBIs in his first 62 major-league games, most of which he played through knee and shoulder injuries that he will address with offseason surgery.

    Kemp, 26, saw the bulk of his playing time at third but also appeared at first and second and in left field.

    The Phillies believe Aidan Miller can stick at shortstop, but that’s blocked by Trea Turner for now.

    Down on the farm

    The Phillies’ top infield prospect, Aidan Miller, is rising quickly. The 21-year-old posted an .825 OPS this year and stole 59 bases between double-A Reading and triple-A Lehigh Valley. But the question remains as to where he will play in the majors.

    Miller, who finished the season in triple A after a September promotion, has played shortstop throughout his minor-league career. Similar to the situation with top outfield prospect Justin Crawford, the Phillies believe that when Miller reaches the major leagues, he will need to be an everyday player.

    A Miller breakthrough next season would require some changes to the current infield configuration. And Turner, who is under contract through 2033, doesn’t appear to be on the move from shortstop anytime soon. Dombrowski said the Phillies are still having conversations about Miller’s long-term position.

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    “When I talked to people in our organization, they feel he can play shortstop. Of course, we have an All-Star shortstop at this point,” he said. “… [Miller has] played some second, he’s played some third, but he’s primarily been a shortstop, so we’d have to make sure that we properly prepare him to do that, and that’s still a discussion that we’ll have to have.”

    Miller initially planned to participate in the Arizona Fall League, but the Phillies decided to prioritize rest instead.

    Further down the pike, second baseman Aroon Escobar is the Phillies’ No. 5 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline. Escobar, 20, ascended three levels in 2025 to finish the season at double A. He hit 15 homers and had 62 RBIs in 120 games.

    Also in double A to end the year is Phillies No. 13 prospect Carson DeMartini. In his first full professional season after being drafted in 2024 out of Virginia Tech, the third baseman posted a .707 OPS and stole 45 bases.

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    Free agency

    The Phillies don’t have a pressing free-agent need to fill in the infield, though that could change if a trade is made. (The battery will be covered later in this series.)

    Currently, one of the top available names on the market is righty third baseman Alex Bregman, who is set to opt out of his contract with the Red Sox after an All-Star season in which he slashed .273/.360/.462 with 18 homers.

    Third baseman Eugenio Suárez was one of the most coveted offensive trade deadline acquisitions this year and was linked to the Phillies before ending up with the Mariners. Suárez saw a dip in production in the second half, but he still had some big postseason moments for Seattle, such as a game-winning grand slam in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series.

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    Gleyber Torres, 28, had an overall bounce-back year with the Tigers after the Yankees let him walk in 2024. The right-handed-hitting second baseman was named an All-Star for the first time since 2019. Torres saw diminished production later in the season, with a .812 first-half OPS compared to .659 in the second half, but revealed that he had been playing through a sports hernia late in the year.

    There are also international options. In recent years, the Phillies have attempted to expand their outreach in Japan in the hopes of attracting top stars there, but have yet to break through.

    The Yomiuri Giants of Nippon Professional Baseball have announced that they will be posting corner infielder Kazuma Okamoto. The right-handed 29-year-old has hit .277/.361/.521 with 248 homers over 11 seasons in NPB.

    According to an MLB.com report, Munetaka Murakami is also expected to be posted this winter. Murakami, 25, is a left-handed-hitting corner infielder with a career .951 OPS across eight seasons in NPB. He was named Most Valuable Player of the Central League in 2021 and 2022.