The Philadelphia Phillies still have a lot to play for in the 2024 season, but win or lose, it appears the high stakes will continue quickly into the winter.
There is a lot of pressure on the Phillies to win a championship while superstar Bryce Harper is still in his prime. After signing the slugger to a $330 million contract in 2019, Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski has done all he can to maximize his championship window.
Dombrowski has already inked several big money deals since Harper: $300 million for Trea Turner, $172 million for Aaron Nola, and $126 million for Zack Wheeler.
But there's another impending free agent the Phillies could pursue that would blow those deals out of the water.
On Sunday, Bob Nightengale of USA Today listed the Phillies among the five teams baseball executives expect to bid for Soto's services in 2025. And yes, there is some stiff competition included elsewhere on the list.
"There are five teams expected to make bids for free-agent outfielder Juan Soto in free agency this winter, baseball executives believe: the New York Yankees, New York Mets, Toronto Blue Jays, San Francisco Giants and Philadelphia Phillies," Nightengale said.
Soto, still only 25 years old, is already looking like a lock to be a Hall of Famer someday. He's got a World Series ring, four All-Star appearances, and a .952 career OPS despite barely being able to legally rent a car.
The consensus around baseball seems to be that Soto will get at least $500 million in free agency. No free agent has ever hit the market with such a strong resume at such a young age, so Soto and agent Scott Boras can afford to set the price tag sky-high.
If the Phillies have a pitch to make to Soto outside of the contract they're offering, it's the chance to reunite with Harper. The two stars were teammates during Soto's rookie season in 2018 with the Washington Nationals.
Of course, Soto got a championship ring in D.C., while Harper left one year too early to join in on the fun. It would be poetic justice if Soto and Harper finally won one together all these years later.
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