As the Philadelphia Phillies made significant additions at the 2025 MLB trade deadline, it was clear that some roster shuffling would follow. The team landed a key bullpen piece in closer Jhoan Duran and bolstered their outfield by acquiring Harrison Bader — both from the Minnesota Twins.
To make room for Duran and Bader on the active roster Friday afternoon, the Phillies optioned outfielder Johan Rojas to Triple-A and placed reliever Daniel Robert on the 15-day injured list due to a blister on his right middle finger. Had it not been for the injury, Robert likely would have been optioned as well.
Despite the transactions, a few Phillies players on the roster bubble managed to retain their spot with Philadelphia following the trade deadline but will likely be gone by the time the 2025-26 offseason rolls around. As a result, we will take a look at four Phillies candidates whose tenure with the organization could end in the coming months.
4 Phillies players who survived the trade deadline, but will be gone by the offseason
Weston Wilson, UTL
Coming off a solid 2024 campaign with Philadelphia in which he became the ninth player in franchise history to hit for the cycle, Weston Wilson was expected to be a key bench piece for the Phillies entering the 2025 MLB season. However, an unexpected spring training injury that resulted in a left oblique strain was a foreshadowing of what was to come for his upcoming season and ultimately spelled his fate for the rest of the year.
After returning to the Phillies lineup in late April, Wilson struggled to produce. As a result, he was optioned to Triple-A in mid-June with hopes that he could rediscover his game. Philadelphia recalled him just before the trade deadline, and he somehow managed to keep his spot on the roster as Rojas became the outfield roster casualty instead.
But with a .200 average, .619 OPS, along with just one home run and four RBIs in 24 games this season, Wilson’s future with the club the rest of the season remains murky, and he’s a candidate to be optioned back to Triple-A when Alec Bohm returns to the lineup.
Max Kepler, OF
Max Kepler, one of the Phillies’ key offseason acquisitions, has not lived up to expectations as the outfield solution the team had hoped for. Despite a solid track record as an offensive contributor during his long tenure with the Twins, the 32-year-old has struggled significantly in Philadelphia.
So far this season, Kepler is batting just .202 with a .651 OPS — his lowest marks since his brief debut season in 2015. Through 95 games, he’s managed only 40 runs, 11 home runs, and 33 RBIs, falling well short of the impact the team envisioned.
There was speculation that Kepler could be on the move at the trade deadline, especially with the Phillies adding another outfielder in Harrison Bader. However, Kepler remains on the roster for now, though his role is expected to diminish as the season progresses. Unless he manages a dramatic turnaround soon, Kepler could find himself on the outside looking in when the postseason roster is set.
Joe Ross, RHP
When the Phillies overhauled their bullpen heading into the 2025 season, the addition of veteran right-hander Joe Ross was expected to be a valuable piece of the puzzle. Coming off a solid 2024 campaign with the Brewers — where he posted a 3.77 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, and tallied 66 strikeouts over 74 innings — Ross was seen as a dependable swingman who could provide stability.
Unfortunately, that version of Ross hasn’t shown up in Philadelphia. Through 31 appearances, he’s struggled mightily, putting up a 5.28 ERA and 1.51 WHIP while surrendering 51 hits — including eight home runs — across just 44 1/3 innings.
Ross was widely viewed as a likely roster casualty if the Phillies added a quality bullpen arm at the trade deadline. That move came in the form of Jhoan Duran. However, Ross’s stint on the injured list with back spasms has temporarily spared him. Still, with the clock ticking and the Phillies eyeing a deep postseason run, Ross’s time to prove he belongs on a contending roster is quickly running out.
Jordan Romano, RHP
Arguably the Phillies’ most high-profile offseason move, the signing of reliever Jordan Romano was meant to solidify the back end of the bullpen in 2025. Initially pegged to take over as closer, that plan quickly unraveled when the 32-year-old right-hander got off to a disastrous start. By the end of April, Romano carried a staggering 12.19 ERA — though he had only two blown saves to that point.
He briefly rebounded in May, allowing just three earned runs throughout the month, but his inconsistency returned soon after. Now holding a 1-4 record with a 6.75 ERA and 1.37 WHIP, Romano has lost his grip on the closer role, which ultimately led the Phillies to trade for Jhoan Duran to shore up the position.
Romano has since been relegated to lower-leverage innings but still remains in the bullpen — for now. Given how far off expectations his performance has been, there’s a very real possibility that his time in Philadelphia could be cut short before the season ends.
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