Five straight postseason exits. Five different opponents. And now, the Philadelphia Phillies may finally be out of excuses. After the Atlanta Braves ended their 2026 run in the Wild Card Series, the Phillies’ long-promised overhaul could be heading for the clubhouse’s biggest names, at least that is what an insider feels.
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Change has already defined Philadelphia’s 2026 season. From Rob Thomson’s firing after a 9-19 start to Don Mattingly guiding the team back into October. But according to MLB insider Bob Nightengale, the next wave of changes could be far more radical. Even elite names like Bryce Harper and Trea Turner could potentially enter the trade conversation.
“I think they’ll shop guys and I think they’ll put guys out there whether it’s a Bryce Harper, you know, throwing Turner out there.” Nightengale said on 97.5 The Fanatic. “Not sure if they would put Kyle Schwarber out there, how much he means that clubhouse and stuff.”
Tension between Harper and Phillies president Dave Dombrowski has been simmering for some time. Last October, Dombrowski questioned in a press conference whether Bryce Harper was still an “elite” player or just a “good” player following a 2025 season affected by a wrist injury. He later clarified his comments, saying that his assessment of Harper was just for the 2025 season, and not a verdict on him as a player.
Harper’s 2026 stats were far from concerning. Harper’s 2026 regular season was strong, a .269/.380/.485 slash with 29 home runs and a league-leading 107 walks. However, he fell short in the postseason, hitting only .231 with one home run.
Harper’s worst was reserved for the Wild Card Series Game 3. The Phillies were trailing 6-2 with two outs in the top of the 8th. Facing a 1-2 count from Braves pitcher Chris Sale, Harper swung big and missed. Assuming it was an inning-ending strikeout, he immediately began unbuckling his shin guard. However, the ball had actually eluded the catcher and gone past the backstop as a wild pitch/dropped third strike.
But by the time Harper realized the live-ball situation and attempted to run to first base, it was too late. And he was easily thrown out.
Harper’s 13-year, $330 million contract lasts through 2031, and his postseason drop in performance hasn’t helped his case.
The other domino that Nightengale felt would fall was Trea Turner, whose situation mirrors Harper’s: strong contract, recent decline, and postseason struggles.
Turner’s $300 million contract has also started to look dated, considering his recent regression. He slashed just .242/.297/.378. With an OPS under .700, Turner’s offense has never looked this bad since his brief rookie stint with the Washington Nationals back in 2015. With a -17 Defensive Runs Saved, he tied for the second-worst in MLB with Jose Altuve of the Houston Astros and Logan O’Hoppe of the Los Angeles Angels.
Hence, with Harper and Turner fetching around $27 million each in 2026 out of the Phillies’ $292 million payroll, the impact of the overhaul could certainly come first on them. However, Nightengale doesn’t believe Phillies owner John Middleton will flip the look of the locker room in the offseason.
“They’re not gonna rebuild under John Middleton’s watch, but I think they’re willing to shuffle that deck,” the USA Today journalist added.
For the unversed, CJ Abrams is currently under arbitration after finishing 2026 with a 30-30 season. Hence, with more than $50 million to be offloaded from trading Harper and Turner, it’s no wonder that the Phillies would like to opt for younger guns for 2027.