The Phillies have to make a number of decisions and a pair of them are on deals for the 2026 season. Jose Alvarado and Harrison Bader both have option years for the 2026 season and the Phillies have to decide by the end of November 5 whether they will pick up their part of the option.

From what David Dombrowski said during his postseason press conference, the Phillies are poised to keep Alvarado and exercise his $9-million option for the 2026 season. The lefty reliever served an 80 game suspension during the 2025 season and was also deemed unavailable for the postseason. Dombrowski dropped strong hints that he and the Phillies are leaning toward keeping Alvarado on the staff for the upcoming season. Alvarado, 30, made 28 relief appearances for the Phillies this past season with a 3.81 ERA.

Bader is in a slightly different situation. His contract holds a mutual option, meaning that both he and the Phillies have to agree to a reunion. If they were to agree, Bader would be paid $10-million in 2026, likely under what he could get on the open market. Bader, 31, was acquired from Minnesota at the trade deadline this past season and provided a spark for the Phillies that catapulted them to the NL East title and a spot in the postseason. Bader hit .305 in 50 games with the Phillies in 2025 and combining that with his stats with Minnesota, gave him a 17-54-.277/.347/.449/.796 line for the full season.

It’s likely that the two sides will not renew the deal. What is possible is that the Phillies renegotiate a deal with Bader to bring him back on a longer contract with the team.

Technically, Walker Buehler had an option for the 2026 season from the deal he signed with the Boston Red Sox, but it called for him to be paid $25-million for the 2026 season. Obviously, the Phillies were not going into that neighborhood and he has already filed for free agency.

Beginning November 6 (Thursday), players can begin to negotiate with other teams. Until then, teams hold exclusive negotiating rights to their players, although few players and teams tend to come to terms during that period.

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