"For the Blue Jays not to follow in the Phillies' footsteps, here are three lessons they should keep in mind as they plan their comeback. Prevent the team's position player core from aging out The biggest issue that has plagued the Phillies has been the team's older core players. When Philadelphia was rising to the top, the core of Nick Castellanos, Bryce Harper, JT Realmuto, Kyle Schwarber and Trea Turner became the team's strength with their power-heavy approach."
"Even after their loss in the World Series, the Phillies' main contributors in the lineup barely changed over time. As a result, the team became increasingly reliant on star hitters to maintain their power output each year, regardless of their aging curve or potential injuries. This approach ultimately left the Phillies vulnerable in the playoffs because their star players were unable to produce offensively in key moments."
Philadelphia reached the 2022 World Series but lacked sustained postseason success thereafter, failing past the NLCS in 2023 and exiting in the NLDS in 2024 and 2025. The Phillies leaned heavily on an aging position-player core—Nick Castellanos, Bryce Harper, JT Realmuto, Kyle Schwarber and Trea Turner—whose power-heavy approach initially drove wins. The lineup changed little over time, increasing reliance on veteran sluggers to reproduce power despite aging curves and injury risks. That dependence left the club vulnerable when those stars slumped in crucial playoff moments, eroding offensive production and opening opportunities for opponents. Toronto should guard against similar roster aging and stagnation.
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