5 Phillies on Thin Ice This Offseason

Now that the World Series is over, the MLB offseason can officially begin.

After falling short in the NLCS against the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Philadelphia Phillies have some work to do this winter if they want to get over the hump and win their first World Series since 2008. That includes potentially getting rid of some players who may have been holding us back this year.

That said, here are five Phillies players who are on thin ice this offseason.

1. Taijuan Walker

Walker just completed the first year of his four-year, $72 million deal, but he's already on thin ice heading into Year 2 of it.

His first season was something of a letdown. While he posted an impressive record (15-6), his 4.38 ERA was nearly a full run higher than his 3.49 mark. His 1.31 WHIP was his highest since 2018, and his 18.8 K% was the second-lowest of his career.

While his regular season was underwhelming, his postseason left a bad taste in everyone's mouths. He didn't pitch at all in the playoffs despite being on the postseason roster, and he did not handle it well. The veteran hurler blasted manager Rob Thomson on social media after Philadelphia was eliminated.

While Walker certainly had a right to be upset, the way he handled it was completely classless and unacceptable. He should not have criticized his boss on social media like that, as it comes across as selfish.

If Thomson didn't think pitching Walker gave his team the best chance to win, then Walker has to respect that and work hard to get better. If Walker had been more reliable this season, Thomson would have felt more comfortable using him in big situations.

Things are now incredibly awkward between Walker and the organization. If he doesn't apologize or smooth things over with the team, he may find himself on the trade block this offseason.