The Philadelphia Phillies have had a rollercoaster of an offseason so far. They were able to retain key guys like Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto, but missed out on some of the bigger names. 

They were nearly getting ready to get a deal done with Bo Bichette when the New York Mets came in and stole him away from them. This likely means Alec Bohm will stay with the team and man third base in 2026. 

And with the loss of Ranger Suarez, the team went out and signed Brad Keller. But he will be working out of the bullpen, and the Phillies could use another starting pitcher as a depth piece.

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One pitcher who is still looking for a new contract is Walker Buehler. He spent the 2025 season with the Boston Red Sox and Phillies, posting a 10-7 record with a 4.93 ERA.

The two-time All-Star has taken a step back from dominating the last few years, but still has the stuff to work as a middle-of-the-road starter for most MLB teams. 

He could be an excellent option to return to the Phillies. According to Bleacher Report’s Tim Kelly, he could be an insurance policy if the starting rotation does not work as they envisioned it would. 

“Buehler would be a good insurance policy for the Phillies if things don’t go as planned in their starting rotation. He did post a 0.66 ERA over 13.2 innings pitched with the Phillies last September after his release from the Red Sox. He was rawn to the Phillies in part because he shared Vanderbilt ties with pitching coach Caleb Cotham.”

Buehler was effective after landing with the Phillies late. And the comfort level with pitching coach Caleb Cotham could prove to be huge. But Kelly also explains that there is a possibility that Buehler could get pushed back to Philadelphia’s bullpen. 

However, this could be his greatest opportunity to play for a team that should contend for a postseason spot in 2026.

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