It’s been a long time since we’ve done a Phillies notebook, but with the MLB GM meetings underway this week in Las Vegas, Nevada, it’s the perfect time to bring it back. The Philadelphia Phillies should be busy this offseason as they must figure out what they’re doing in the outfield, at third base, and in the bullpen.
For a team that still has “star power,” the window is closing quickly on this current Phillies core. We could see a few new faces playing at Citizens Bank Park in 2027 (whenever the season starts) and a couple of familiar faces potentially playing elsewhere.
On Monday, Bob Nightengale of USA TODAY wrote that veterans Brandon Marsh and Trea Turner “are available” as the Phillies “badly want to shake things up.” Nightengale also added that Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper “are staying put.”
It’s not surprising to hear that Schwarber and Harper aren’t going anywhere, given they are the pillars of this core. But seeing Marsh and Turner’s names pop up in the hot-stove rumor mill caught Phillies fans’ attention.
Marsh is more likely to be traded, given he can play all three outfield spots. Not to mention, he’s arbitration-eligible this offseason, as he’ll hit free agency in 2028. The 28-year-old outfielder had an excellent first half of the 2026 season (.301 with 15 home runs, 46 RBI, and a .829 OPS), leading to an All-Star nod.
However, Marsh’s play fell off in the second half. He hit .184 with three home runs, 16 RBI, and a .502 OPS. It’s tough to gauge what the Phillies could get in return for Marsh. But a mid-tier prospect and a reliever could entice Philadelphia.
Meanwhile, Turner will be hard to move. He’s coming off a rough season at the plate and in the field, has a full no-trade clause, and won’t become a free agent until 2034. In fact, many teams won’t be knocking on Dave Dombrowski’s door to trade for a veteran infielder who regressed in 2026.
For all intents and purposes, the Phillies are stuck with Turner, and they’ll hope he can look like the player he was in 2025, when he slugged .304 with 15 home runs, 69 RBI, and snagged 36 stolen bases.
Before we wrap this edition of our Phillies notebook, we must discuss this free-agent nugget.
Phillies expressing interest in veteran infielder Ha-Seong Kim
On Monday afternoon, Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadelphia reported that the Phillies are “eyeing” veteran Ha-Seong Kim. He could play multiple positions, including shortstop, and add “infield insurance.”
Salisbury mentioned Mauricio Dubon, who played with Kim in Atlanta in 2026, would be a good option for the Phils, but said, “he’s looking for a multi-year deal.” The Phillies, however, “prefer a shorter deal for a bounceback candidate,” per Salisbury.
The 31-year-old Kim played in 51 games with the Braves in 2026. Atlanta signed him to a one-year, $20 million deal last offseason to be starting shortstop. But that dream got derailed after Kim suffered a torn tendon in the middle finger of his right hand.
The veteran infielder struggled to find consistency at the plate, hitting .116 with a double, a triple, and nine RBI. Kim has struggled with injuries over the last two seasons. He hasn’t looked like the guy we saw at the start of his career with the San Diego Padres, when he hit a career .242 and won a Gold Glove in 2023.
That said, if the Phillies move Turner and don’t re-sign Edmundo Sosa, who is pursuing a long-term deal in free agency (h/t Salisbury), Kim could be a viable option for Don Mattingly’s club.
