Breaking News: Phillies to Revisited 2016 Season

The 2016 Phillies: A Look Back

With social media buzzing over nostalgic throwbacks to 2016, it feels like the perfect moment to revisit the Philadelphia Phillies from that season. The 2016 campaign was a challenging one, as the Phillies finished with a 71–91 record, placing fourth in the National League East. It was a year defined by transition, patience, and growing pains during a prolonged rebuilding phase.

Pete Mackanin was at the helm for his first full season as manager after stepping in midway through 2015 following the resignation of Ryne Sandberg. Sandberg’s tenure included one full season and parts of two others, but instability at the managerial level reflected the broader uncertainty surrounding the franchise at the time. Mackanin’s role was largely to guide a young roster through development rather than contend for immediate success.

The front office was led by President of Baseball Operations Andy MacPhail and General Manager Matt Klentak. Their vision centered on rebuilding through the draft and player development, a process that required patience from the fan base. However, the results never fully materialized at the major-league level, and both MacPhail and Klentak were relieved of their duties following the 2020 season. They were replaced by Dave Dombrowski and Sam Fuld, a leadership duo that remains in place today and has overseen a dramatic shift in the team’s fortunes.

By 2016, the Phillies were deep into a difficult stretch, marking the fourth season in a five-year span in which the team failed to win more than 75 games. It was also the fourth straight year the club finished more than 20 games out of first place in the division, highlighting just how far they were from serious contention. The roster was filled with young, unproven talent and stopgap veterans, emblematic of a franchise still searching for its next core.

In hindsight, the contrast between then and now is striking. Since 2016, excluding the shortened 2020 season, the Phillies have recorded at least 80 wins in seven of the last eight full seasons. Over that same period, the team has reached the postseason four times, signaling a clear turnaround.

At the start of 2016, the Phillies had already gone four consecutive seasons without a playoff appearance. The end of that season marked the halfway point of a lengthy postseason drought that stretched from 2012 through 2021. That drought finally came to an end in 2022, and since then, the Phillies have emerged as a consistent October presence, making the playoffs four years in a row.

Looking back, the 2016 Phillies represent a low point—but also an important chapter—in the franchise’s modern history. It was a season rooted in rebuilding and uncertainty, one that ultimately set the stage for the sustained success and renewed expectations the team enjoys today.