Phillies' disastrous postseason exit could inspire Yankees into catching shakeup

In many ways, the current Phillies feel like the Yankees on a parallel path in the National League. Plenty of star-powered sizzle. A clubhouse that purports to have incredible leadership and unimpeachable vibes. Yet somehow ... the team takes a step back every season instead of building on their past successes, in much the same way no Yankee fan from 2017 would believe you if you told them it never got any better.

Unlike the Yankees, the Phillies' window might actually be closing.

Dave Dombrowski, no stranger to cashing his prospect chips in when he has a championship to chase, didn't use Justin Crawford, Aidan Miller, or Andrew Painter this summer. Instead, he's watched his Phillies go from the precipice of a title to a gutting NLCS failure, with Games 6 and 7 at home, followed by NLDS exits to the Mets and Dodgers. Kyle Schwarber and JT Realmuto will hit free agency this winter. Nick Castellanos, who played himself into a platoon role this year, has an uncertain future as well, to say the least.

Philadelphia's fans are similarly unyielding to the ones in the Bronx. They won't be satisfied if their championship aspirations are stolen, or even temporarily silenced. But the writing appears to be on the wall for this older core, something the Phils' veterans seemed keenly aware of in the steely silence that followed their latest exit.

The Yankees have plenty of flaws to address this offseason, from multiple bullpen arms to their outfield conundrum, but their leadership group also needs a refresh. If you watched the 2025 season play out and emphatically concluded that Austin Wells was the unimpeachable answer behind the plate - especially as his offense seemed held back by the hand numbness that followed him throughout the first half - it also might be time to adjust your expectations.

Who knows if Realmuto would be amenable to playing out some of his twilight years with the Yankees, but his no-nonsense style would certainly be welcome to fans of a certain generation. It may feel regressive to bring in a disciplinarian - remember Brian McCann? - but it's certainly a direction the Yankees could go, as the Wells-Anthony Volpe duo continues to grasp at lifelines and straws.

Yankees could use an infusion of discipline with JT Realmuto signing

The 34-year-old Realmuto's timeline syncs up nicely with Aaron Judge's. His defense is sturdy, and his offense, now below-average, remains competent. His 91 OPS+ won't thrill modern fans, but his .257 average with moderate pop in the clutch feels very Blue Jays-y, as the Yankees look to realign with baseball tradition and add folks who put the ball in play.

Realmuto, a righty complement, unfortunately struggled against left-handed pitching this season, making him an unlikely Paul Goldschmidt replacement/potential late-career first base option. Still, if it's a field general the Yankees are looking for, they could certainly do worse.

Or maybe they should just wait three or four years until Realmuto retires and install him as manager. That works, too.