The Philadelphia Phillies entered the offseason with expectations shaped by recent October runs and a roster still built to contend. As winter turned toward spring, however, a familiar narrative began to take hold among fans and analysts alike: that the Phillies were standing pat rather than pushing forward.
Much of that perception centered on the return of Kyle Schwarber, whose re-signing anchored the offseason but failed to satisfy those hoping for another marquee addition.
With spring training approaching, that criticism reached the dugout. And on Tuesday, Phillies manager Rob Thomson made it clear he was no longer willing to let the “roster construction” narrative go unchallenged.
Are the Phillies really just ‘running it back’?
Speaking to reporters, Thomson directly addressed the growing belief that president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski had opted for complacency rather than calculated change.
Rob Thomson, Manager of the Philadelphia Phillies, walks. Emilee Chinn/Getty Images
“We got three new relievers, a new right fielder, (Justin) Crawford’s gonna have every chance to play, a rookie starting pitcher, Otto Kemp who wasn’t here at the start of last year,” Thomson said. “That’s 20–25% of the roster. If you think that’s running it back, or whatever the saying is, I don’t know what to tell ya.”
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Measured additions, familiar core
Beyond Schwarber’s return, the Phillies leaned into stability by reuniting with J.T. Realmuto while adding Adolis García to handle right field duties. In the bullpen, the most notable move came with the signing of Brad Keller, a two-year investment intended to stabilize late innings rather than redefine them.
Phillies’ strategy
The Phillies’ strategy is now clear: retain trusted veterans, supplement with short-term experience, and rely on young contributors to bridge the gap. Whether that approach proves sufficient will be judged quickly once camp opens.
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If internal growth materializes, Thomson’s defense will look prescient. If not, the “running it back” narrative may only grow louder as expectations collide with results.
