Several Philadelphia Phillies players could be in line for contract extensions this offseason. So far, the team’s winter activity has been limited mainly to re-signing star designated hitter Kyle Schwarber. The club has also had an extension offer on the table for catcher J.T. Realmuto for several weeks, according to MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki, but there has been no progress since that report surfaced during the Winter Meetings. As a result, the Phillies may need to begin exploring other options at catcher.
With free agency relatively quiet at the moment, the Phillies may be focusing their attention on potential contract extensions. Outside of that, their only notable moves have been trading Matt Strahm to the Kansas City Royals and signing Brad Keller to a multi-year deal to bolster the bullpen, along with a few smaller bullpen transactions. Overall, activity around the league has slowed, as Major League Baseball remains in a holding pattern with minimal recent trade or free-agent movement.
Contract Extensions the Phillies Could Complete This Offseason
Jesús Luzardo joined the Phillies via trade from the Miami Marlins and delivered an impressive debut season with the club. During the 2025 campaign, he went 15–7 with a 3.92 ERA across 32 starts, posting a 1.220 WHIP and a strong 3.79 strikeout-to-walk ratio. He also limited home runs effectively, allowing just 0.78 per nine innings. Luzardo logged a career-high workload and produced a personal-best 5.3 fWAR, while holding opposing hitters to a .239 batting average and a .324 BABIP.
Now entering his final year of arbitration and set to reach free agency after the 2026 season, Luzardo stands out as the Phillies’ top extension candidate. Securing long-term stability in the starting rotation should be a key organizational priority.
Jhoan Duran joined the Phillies at the trade deadline in a deal with the Minnesota Twins and delivered an outstanding season in 2025. Across stints with both teams, he posted a 7–6 record, a 2.06 ERA, and 32 saves over 72 appearances. Duran also recorded a 1.100 WHIP, a 4.21 strikeout-to-walk ratio, a career-low 0.39 home runs allowed per nine innings, and a personal-best 2.1 fWAR.
After arriving in Philadelphia, Duran went 1–2 with a 2.18 ERA and 16 saves in 23 outings, while posting a 0.919 WHIP, an elite 27.00 K/BB ratio, and a 0.87 HR/9. Although he remains under team control through the 2027 season, pursuing a contract extension for Duran this offseason could still be a sensible move, even if it is not as pressing as extending Jesús Luzardo.
Although the Phillies have rarely taken this approach—aside from the unsuccessful Scott Kingery extension—it has become increasingly common for teams to lock up elite prospects with long-term contracts before they reach the majors or shortly after their debuts. Andrew Painter, Justin Crawford, and Aidan Miller are among the Phillies’ top prospects who could be candidates for such deals, with all three projected to reach the major leagues at some point in 2026. Crawford, in particular, is expected to compete for a starting outfield role that season.
That said, Philadelphia is unlikely to pursue long-term extensions for any of them before seeing how they perform at the major league level. While it remains improbable, it’s not entirely out of the question. It would be uncharacteristic for the Phillies, but it’s not impossible.
