The Philadelphia Phillies did not get their revenge in the World Series after losing it in 2022. In fact, they couldn't even get past the NLCS, with their scorching hot bats going ice cold at just the wrong moment in October.
That's baseball, Suzyn.
Now, Philadelphia's lead exec Dave Dombrowski and his team will have to look toward the offseason. The primary consideration for any team is their free agency strategy. The easiest place to start, of course, is incumbent players, making decisions on which ones to keep and which ones to let walk.
Here are three players that probably won't be re-signed by Philadelphia this offseason, and two that are very difficult to see leaving.
Scott Kingery's road comes to an end
Scott Kingery just hasn't worked out. Appearing in 52 games at the big league level since 2020, he has posted a miserable OPS of .454 with 47 strikeouts in 143 plate appearances.
The Phillies can keep him on the roster with a club option, but that option works out to $13 million.
With a .725 OPS in minor league ball this season, there's no need to pick up such a steep option on a minor league-locked player when the Phillies have Trea Turner in tow.
Michael Lorenzen will command too much competition in open market
Michael Lorenzen was acquired in the trade season from the Detroit Tigers, and almost immediately he paid off, throwing a no-hitter in just his second start with the team.
As the season wore on and the Phillies entered the playoffs, Lorenzen was moved to a bullpen relief role despite his propensity to pitch ace-level games, which at that point had started to falter. That, though, isn't a total slight on Lorenzen. If anything, it showed how deep the Phillies rotation was, and how valuable Lorenzen is because of his versatility.
The star pitcher even had hopes of playing a Shohei Ohtani-like role when he was getting going in the league.
In the postseason, Lorenzen didn't give up a single earned run, surrendering four hits in 5.1 innings of pitching. One of the biggest "what-ifs" of Rob Thompson's strategy has to have been not giving him a chance as a starter in the NLCS, though there's a case to be made that Lorenzen was better suited as a postseason reliever and that Thompson made the right choice after all.
Lorenzen's breakout season and team-first mentality will be seen as highly attractive traits by a number of teams looking for pitching help. Philadelphia may hate to see him go, but he'll be priced out due to competition. Plus, with just half a season in Philly, there's not much familiarity on either side to create much motivation for a reunion.
It's best if the Phillies and Craig Kimbrel go their separate ways
Craig Kimbrel's entrance into postseason games was met with collective groans among Philly fans this season. Kimbrel earned losses in Games 3 and 4 of the NLCS with four earned runs in 1 inning across the two appearances. Manager Rob Thompson was forced to demote him to a non-leverage relief pitcher in the postseason.
Not exactly the kind of pitcher you'd be looking at bringing back for a push back toward the World Series, right?
Kimbrel made the All-Star team this year, but statistically doesn't have quite the same pop he did as an elite late-game reliever years ago. Kimbrel is a two-pitch reliever and there may be a closer out there that is either more reliable or brings a more expansive arsenal to the role (or both).
Kimbrel, who has bounced around considerably throughout his career with seven teams, may very well find himself donning his eighth MLB jersey come spring training.
Rhys Hoskins has all the motivation to get back and help this team
For most of its games, Philly was a fun, electric team in the 2023 postseason, up until their tail-end NLCS implosion. Throughout, though, there was one notable absence: Rhys Hoskins.
Hoskins threw out the first pitch of the playoffs ceremonially but remained away from the team rehabbing and hoping to get back for a possible World Series appearance. His appearance would never come to bear with Philly failing to get to the World Series.
After seeing his teammates celebrate in the locker room and participating over Facetime, emotionally, it's hard to see Hoskins wanting to go elsewhere. Obviously, money talks, but even so, he didn't play a game in 2023, leaving question marks for teams about what he will be able to accomplish. The Phillies have the information advantage here, having been able to observe his rehabilitation throughout.
Hoskins has indicated quite straightforwardly he'd like to get back.
There's unknown about whether or not Hoskins can recapture what he was able to do in 2022, but Philadelphia also has upside in that they can use him in multiple ways. Hoskins can play first, left field, or DH for Philadelphia, with other players plugging in or out of those roles as needed. Other teams may need more of a specialist and be looking for a specific role to fill.
It's hard to see another team making a big enough offer to get Hoskins to want to leave Philly.
Aaron Nola could be a lifetime Phillie
Aaron Nola's free agency is definitely the one to watch on this list. I, however, would be quite shocked if he winds up signing on to play his home games anywhere other than Citizens Bank Park in South Philly.
Nola has played all of his seasons thus far in Philly, and asked throughout the postseason run by media if he wants to return, he repeatedly says that he, "hopes," to. He referenced, multiple times, the joy he's had seeing this team through multiple eras to what it is now. It doesn't seem like he's ready to let it go.
Of anyone on this list, though, Nola is also perhaps most liable to get an offer big enough to be tempted out of his emotions and sign the better business deal. His last several seasons have shown he has staying power. Plenty of teams in need of pitching could view him as their ace candidate.
Nola wants to return, but it takes two to tango. If, perhaps, Philly projects a downturn in production the next several seasons, there could be some reluctance to sign him to a long-term deal. Short of making a massive acquisition for an international prospect like Yoshinobu Yamamoto, however, there are not many opportunities to get younger at pitching in free agency than Nola, who is 30.
Nola is a home grown, reliable starting pitcher who wants to stick around. Why wouldn't Philly want to have him back?
