Hours after their Wild Card elimination at the hands of the Atlanta Braves, Ken Rosenthal wrote in The Athletic what most people in Philadelphia have been avoiding saying out loud: the Phillies should at least consider trading Kyle Schwarber or Bryce Harper. The catch? Neither player can be moved without his own approval — Harper by contractual clause, Schwarber because he just earned 10-and-5 rights under the collective bargaining agreement. The idea is real. Pulling it off is a completely different conversation.
What Rosenthal Said — and What He Didn’t
Rosenthal’s column reads more like a warning than a concrete recommendation. He isn’t saying the Phillies should trade Harper or Schwarber — he’s saying that nothing can be off the table given where this franchise stands. That’s worth clarifying, because framing this as a front-office proposal would be overstating what he actually wrote.
The core argument is one of historical urgency. Philadelphia has lost four consecutive postseason series: the 2022 World Series, Game 7 of the 2023 NLCS, and first-round exits in both 2024 and 2026. The October 1st elimination in Atlanta — a 6-2 loss in Wild Card Game 3 at Truist Park — stings even more given the context: the Phillies needed Zack Wheeler to start on the final day of the regular season just to clinch a playoff spot.
The Contractual Wall: Why «Considering» Isn’t the Same as «Doing»
Harper signed a 13-year, $330 million deal with Philadelphia back in 2019 — full no-trade protection, no opt-outs, runs through 2031, with a $26 million salary in 2026. He’s made his discomfort with trade rumors clear before, and owner John Middleton has backed him every time. For any deal to happen, Harper would have to request it or agree to it. Nothing in his history suggests that’s anywhere close to happening.
Schwarber signed a 5-year, $150 million extension in December 2025 — Philadelphia’s marquee offseason move. By completing this season, he reached 10 years of MLB service time with five of them on the same team, which automatically triggers full no-trade rights under the 10-and-5 rule. Rosenthal flags this explicitly: Schwarber «just earned those rights.» Trading either player without his consent is, literally, not possible.
The season numbers make the debate even messier. Harper carries a .279 career AVG with 391 home runs and 1,137 RBI, two NL MVP awards (2015 and 2021), and nine All-Star selections. Schwarber hits .231 for his career but has 385 home runs and 879 RBI, and led the NL in home runs in 2022, 2025, and 2026. These are two of the best power hitters of the last decade. The issue isn’t talent — it’s October.
Where Would Harper Even Go?
Rosenthal floated three hypothetical destinations: the New York Yankees, the Boston Red Sox, and the Oakland Athletics — soon to relocate to Las Vegas, Harper’s hometown. The Vegas angle has sentimental logic, though the A’s are nowhere near contending. The Yankees and Red Sox are, and either move would reshape the American League. But this remains a theoretical exercise.
An Aging Core and a Bullpen That Keeps Breaking Down
Philadelphia’s core is getting older — Harper, Schwarber, Trea Turner, Wheeler, Aaron Nola, and J.T. Realmuto are all around 33 or older. The bullpen was a chronic problem in 2026. The team posted the fourth-best record in baseball after Don Mattingly replaced Rob Thomson as manager, but the structural issues resurfaced in September and were confirmed in the playoffs: Nola lasted just 1.2 innings in Game 3, giving up a three-run home run to Michael Harris II, and Wheeler came on in relief and allowed two more to Ozzie Albies.
Rosenthal’s question doesn’t have an easy answer this week. What is clear is that Philadelphia heads into the offseason with $480 million committed to two hitters who each have the power to block any move that involves them. If the solution is somewhere in the roster or the farm system, the front office is going to have to find it somewhere else entirely.
