The Philadelphia Phillies were bounced by the Atlanta Braves in the Wild Card Series in this year's postseason.
The Phillies have not been able to win a World Series in the Bryce Harper era, despite having great teams every year. They reached the World Series in 2022, but lost. They have made the postseason in each of the last five seasons, but have not reached the National League Championship Series since 2023.
They have no shortage of stars in their lineup, but they have not been able to get over the hump. Perhaps it's time for a change.
"I think they'll shop guys, and I think they'll put guys out there," MLB insider Bob Nightengale said on 97.5 The Fanatic on Tuesday. "Whether it's Bryce Harper, you know, throwing (Trea) Turner out there. I'm not sure they'd put Kyle Schwarber with how much he means to that clubhouse and stuff. I think this offseason they may just say, 'Let's see what we can bring here. Do we want to shuffle the deck?' They're not going to rebuild. Certainly not under John Middleton's watch, but I think they're willing to shuffle the deck."
Turner was terrible offensively this season, and trading him and his contract would require the Phillies to eat a ton of money. However, Harper played like an All-Star once again this year, showing he can still be a great player. If they wanted to, they could certainly find a trade for the aging superstar.
Regardless, the championship window in Philadelphia is closing, if it's not already closed. The city is hungry for a championship, and the front office needs to make moves to make it happen.