Kemp will undergo surgery this offseason to repair a fracture in his left knee cap and an additional operation to clean out damage to his left shoulder, Matt Gelb of The Athletic reports.
Kemp chipped a piece of bone when he fouled a ball off his knee cap June 17, but he missed only one game and then played though the injury for the remainder of the season. He also evidently played with a shoulder issue, though it's unclear when he first injured it. Kemp slashed .234/.298/.411 with eight homers and two steals over 62 games in the majors in 2025 and posted a .987 OPS with 16 home runs and 13 stolen bases at Triple-A Lehigh Valley. It's not clear when the surgeries will occur, nor is known how long his rehab will take. The Phillies appear to view the 26-year-old as more than just a bench player, though it's uncertain where exactly he fits into the team's 2026 plans. Kemp made starts at third base, first base, second base and left field for the Phillies this season.
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Phillies' Justin Crawford: Team not sold on CF defense
Rotowire
The Phillies are unconvinced that Crawford is currently capable of playing average defense in center field, Matt Gelb of The Athletic reports.
Crawford's bat looks major-league ready after he slashed .334/.411/.452 with seven home runs and 46 stolen bases at Triple-A Lehigh Valley this season as a 21-year-old. However, the Phillies aren't confident he can handle center field defensively at the big-league level, which makes him a more difficult fit on their roster. The 2022 first-round pick did play some left field in 2025 for the first time in pro ball and also got some starts at designated hitter. It's possible Crawford develops into a better defender, so depending on how the Phillies' offseason plays out, the club could give him a shot in center field in 2026 and hope his defense improves.
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Phillies' Jose Alvarado: Expected back with Phillies in 2026
Rotowire
Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said Thursday he would be "surprised" if Alvarado (forearm) is not back next season, Matt Gelb of The Athletic reports.
The Phillies have a $9.5 million club option on Alvarado for 2026, and while Dombrowski did not confirm the option would be exercised, it seems that is the most likely scenario. Alvarado served an 80-game PED suspension and also missed time late in the year with a forearm injury, resulting in him appearing in only 28 games. The lefty remained effective when on the bump, posting a 3.81 ERA and 32:7 K:BB over 26 innings. It's not clear whether the forearm issue will affect Alvarado's offseason throwing, but Dombrowski did not mention any health concerns with the reliever moving forward.
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