The final four are set, the lockout clock is ticking, and the Phillies' offseason is already taking shape. Josh Liddick and Austin Myers break it all down on Catchin’ Phils.

The Brewers opened the NLCS with a 2-1 victory over the Dodgers in a pitcher’s duel, and the Guardians and Rays are set for the ALCS. Three of the four remaining teams are small or mid-market clubs, with the CBA expiring December 1. So what does that mean for the salary cap fight? Josh and Austin dig into it, and into what the Phillies can learn from teams that built through player development.

Then it's on to the Phillies' offseason. Austin makes the case for locking up Don Mattingly. Josh makes the case for Aidan Miller, who is tearing up the Arizona Fall League, as the third baseman in 2027. They also get into the Japanese posting window, which opens November 1, and why Teruaki Sato, the Hanshin Tigers' Triple Crown winner, could be a fit.

Plus, a rough stretch for Philly sports. The Eagles' last-second loss in London puts Nick Sirianni's game management under the microscope, the Flyers are still searching for their first win, and the Sixers tip off with LeBron on October 20. The guys also shout out the Union, who might be the most fun team in the city right now.

Is this the year small-market baseball finally takes down the Dodgers?

Follow and leave a five-star review for Catchin’ Phils: A Phillies Podcast on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Amazon⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠iHeartRadio⁠⁠⁠⁠, and subscribe to Josh Liddick (⁠⁠⁠⁠Red Pinstripe Press⁠⁠⁠⁠) and Austin Myers (⁠⁠⁠⁠Phillies Perspective⁠⁠⁠⁠) on Substack to get their latest work straight to your inbox. The podcast is also streaming weekly on the Catchin' Phils ⁠⁠⁠YouTube channel⁠⁠⁠.

Follow Catchin’ Phils on Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter/X for more content.

Episode timestamps:

00:00 — Intro and episode preview

00:26 — LCS kickoff: Brewers edge Dodgers in NLCS Game 1

02:11 — Small markets take over October

09:09 — Could the Phillies have hung with the final four?

14:20 — Picking our dream World Series

17:40 — CBA looming: Salary cap, parity and the Dodgers

26:18 — Buying talent vs. player development: The Phillies problem

28:38 — Phillies offseason priorities: The manager question

38:33 — Aidan Miller and the third base plan

42:48 — Teruaki Sato and the Japanese posting window

48:26 — Eagles heartbreak in London: Is Sirianni on the hot seat?

56:36 — Flyers winless start

1:00:24 — Sixers opening night and LeBron

1:04:02 — Shoutout to the Union

1:07:40 — Wrap-up

Nearly a week removed from the Phillies’ early playoff defeat, it’s time to take a step back and evaluate where the team stands heading into a pivotal offseason.

In this episode, Josh Liddick and Austin Myers hand out offseason grades for the Phillies’ offense, defense, bench, starting rotation, bullpen, and coaching staff. They also revisit some of their preseason and midseason projections to see what they got right — and what they got very wrong.

Then, the conversation turns toward the offseason ahead. With the MLB CBA set to expire in December, what should be at the top of the Phillies’ priority list? Could the team move on from Alec Bohm, Bryson Stott, or Brandon Marsh? How important is adding an infielder or multiple outfielders? And what should the Phillies do at manager?

With Alex Cora no longer expected to manage in 2027 and reports from Matt Gelb and Jayson Stark that the Phillies are considering retaining Don Mattingly, the guys discuss whether Mattingly has done enough to earn another season — or whether it’s time for a new voice.

Finally, Josh and Austin look around the MLB postseason, breaking down the NLDS and ALDS matchups and discussing which teams have stood out as the LCS picture begins to take shape.

Follow and leave a five-star review for Catchin’ Phils: A Phillies Podcast on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Amazon⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠iHeartRadio⁠⁠⁠⁠, and subscribe to Josh Liddick (⁠⁠⁠⁠Red Pinstripe Press⁠⁠⁠⁠) and Austin Myers (⁠⁠⁠⁠Phillies Perspective⁠⁠⁠⁠) on Substack to get their latest work straight to your inbox. The podcast is also streaming weekly on the Catchin' Phils ⁠⁠⁠YouTube channel⁠⁠⁠.

Follow Catchin’ Phils on Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter/X for more content.

Episode timestamps:

00:20 Offseason Reflections on the Phillies

13:14 Analyzing the Phillies' Performance

24:15 Future Prospects and Team Development

30:58 Evaluating Player Performance: Strengths and Weaknesses

33:40 Defensive Versatility and Adaptability

36:06 Bench Improvement: A Closer Look

40:06 Rotation Strength: Key Pitchers and Their Impact

49:13 Bullpen Struggles: Analyzing the Weak Links

54:37 Managing Changes: Don Mattingly's Impact and Future

Recorded live on YouTube immediately after the final out, Josh Liddick and Austin Myers react to a 6-2 loss in Game 3 of the NL Wild Card Series that ends the Phillies' 2026 season in Atlanta and sends them on a flight back to Philly.

It was quiet from the very start. Braves lefty Ray Kerr shut down the Phillies offense, Atlanta scored three in the first off Aaron Nola, and the Phillies never found an answer. The guys debate whether Zack Wheeler should have started Game 3 instead, though they agree the offense—not the rotation—was the real problem.

The guys pay respects to Alec Bohm's likely final game in a Phillies uniform, get into the bigger picture: baserunning mistakes, inconsistent leadership, and a core that's now taken a step back in each of the last several postseasons, and revel in likely Don Mattingly's final managerial decision: inserting Otto Kemp as a pinch hitter.

Looking ahead, it's a pivotal offseason for John Middleton, Dave Dombrowski, and the front office, with money coming off the books and real questions about how this roster needs to change. Josh and Austin close out their first season of the podcast with thanks to listeners and a preview of what's coming during the offseason.

Is this core still good enough to get over the hump, and where does this organization go from here?

Follow and leave a five-star review for Catchin’ Phils: A Phillies Podcast on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Amazon⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠iHeartRadio⁠⁠⁠⁠, and subscribe to Josh Liddick (⁠⁠⁠⁠Red Pinstripe Press⁠⁠⁠⁠) and Austin Myers (⁠⁠⁠⁠Phillies Perspective⁠⁠⁠⁠) on Substack to get their latest work straight to your inbox. The podcast is also streaming weekly on the Catchin' Phils ⁠⁠⁠YouTube channel⁠⁠⁠.

Follow Catchin’ Phils on Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter/X for more content.

Episode timestamps:

00:00 – Phillies season ends, falling 6-2 in game three
01:12 – A low-event dud with no momentum from yesterday's win
02:32 – Crediting the Braves and Walt Weiss's managing
04:48 – Ray Kerr's dominant start silences the offense
05:55 – Harper, Schwarber, and Turner lead into the next era
06:41 – Zack Wheeler's future and a shortened 2027 season
09:10 – Learning from the lost 2020 season
11:34 – The five-year window and the fear of stepping back again
13:26 – Otto Kemp's rough final at-bat
14:41 – Second-guessing the decision to start Nola over Wheeler
16:37 – Flexibility this offseason and what has to change
21:24 – Braves ticket prices and a flat atmosphere in Atlanta
21:51 – A season that could never fully right itself after a slow start
23:39 – Base-running mistakes and accountability among leaders
25:56 – Comparing this ending to last year's collapse
27:08 – A slow death versus last year's sudden one
28:07 – Grateful for a first season of postseason podcasts
28:44 – Closing thoughts, thank-yous, and what's next for the show