Juan Soto’s tour through free agency has thus far taken him to meetings with the Yankees, Mets, Red Sox, and Blue Jays, with another meeting set for later today between Soto’s camp and Dodgers brass. Another big-market team can be added to the mix, as the New York Post’s Jon Heyman (via X) writes that the Phillies also intend to sit down with the free agent slugger, though a meeting isn’t yet known to be officially scheduled.
It comes as no shock that the Phils will at least check in on the market for another big name, as ownership and president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski haven’t been shy about courting and signing superstar free agents. Bryce Harper and Trea Turner are two of those stars, and it is fair to assume that Harper and Turner have exchanged a few texts and calls with their former Nationals teammate Soto about a reunion in Philadelphia.
Earlier this month, Phillies chairman John Middleton acknowledged that his team would be involved in the Soto sweepstakes to some degree, though Middleton was rather candid in his evaluation of Soto’s market. Middleton felt “Soto wants to be in New York, and I don’t mind being a stalking horse. At some point, if Dave and I get that feeling, we’ll probably say, ’You know what, we’re not going to win this’ because we’ve both been the stalking horse before.”
This hints that the Phillies aren’t planning quite as pitched a pursuit as other suitors in the race, though it costs the Phils nothing to meet with Soto and agent Scott Boras to access the situation. Just in case other teams don’t meet Soto’s asking price or some other obstacle arises, Philadelphia could position itself as a fallback option that still checks a lot of boxes on Soto’s presumed wish list, as the Phillies are a consistent contender who should remain in the playoff hunt for some time to come.
Signing Soto to a record contract would further elevate the Phillies’ already-large payroll. As per RosterResource, Philadelphia has an approximate $269MM payroll and a $288MM tax number for 2025 even before any significant offseason moves have been made, so adding Soto would send the Phillies far beyond the highest tax penalty tier of $301MM. Since the Phillies have made luxury-tax payments in each of the last three seasons, they already face an increased price tag for any further overages, so signing Soto would essentially come at twice the cost of his actual salary.
Middleton might not necessarily mind at least a one-year splurge, since Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto are free agents next winter, and thus represent some significant money coming off the Phillies’ books. Ideally, the Phils would probably love to free up money this winter by moving at least one of Nick Castellanos or Taijuan Walker, though that is much easier said that done since both players have negligible trade value.
If Soto was signed and Castellanos stayed put, the two would handle the corner outfield positions in some fashion while Brandon Marsh and Johan Rojas became a center field platoon. This wouldn’t be an ideal arrangement from a glovework perspective, yet the Phillies probably wouldn’t mind a defensive step backwards if it meant putting Soto’s power bat into the lineup.
Lol, Boras gotta cover all the big spenders, don’t leave anyone out…..
I predict the meeting will go well, which will be reported by unnamed sources. Jon Heyman, Boras’s preferred “insider” to leak news, said earlier today that so far no team has made financial offers, and that these are just the initial get-to-know-each-other meetings. That contradicts the report that the Mets already have a $660 million offer on the table, This is all Boras building a market. Did the Yankees and Soto need a get-to-know-each-other meeting? No, but they had to pay homage as part of the process.
Yes. Soto met Hal once during the summer. Cashman is pretty much hands-off with the roster except for Judge and Cole.
Yeah, a guy doing his job and doing it well. Nothing gets past you.
It would be funny if Harper, Turner and Soto all ended up on the Phillies.
And Schwarber too. A rental National, but a National nonetheless.
Gotta make room for Max then too.
pun, The past being prologue, there’s no reason to believe the same tandem that couldn’t win a championship in Washington when they were young and hungry could win one in Philly when they’re old and too rich to worry about outcomes. And don’t forget, the Nationals won the world series immediately after Harper left the team.
If Harper stayed on the team they would’ve won by a larger margin. That team was super talented and got going at the right time. The idea that Harper somehow made them worse is such ridiculous fan fiction. Harper has been an absolute stud for the Phillies, but it takes more than one, and it takes a lot to win the big one.
We all know he’s going to sign with the Rockies, he just being respectful to the other teams
Ding! Ding! Ding!
Called it.
Of course they’re meeting with him. That means very little. This guy is going to NY.
Phillies have a great relationship with Boras, and they’re doing their due diligence, but this seems like a huge longshot to me.
Soto has a great relationship with Turner, Harper, Schwarber and Long, but I don’t see the Phillies offering more money than the Mets and Soto has already established himself for the Yanks. I think it comes down to the two NY teams.
Phillies owner mentioned that he basically knows Soto is just using them for leverage in negotiations with the two New York teams. Middleton is just playing along, smart man.
Yes exactly. It’s quoted in this very article.
I like the fact we are in the hunt von purple Hayes. Middleton is willing to pay Soto, the point is, does Soto want to play in Philly.
I think Soto would gladly play in any big market that pays him.
Another free lunch
Phillies are hitting the drive thru on the way to Soto’s place, “Hey, look what we brought ya!” Ahahahaha!
Bryce is gonna be cool with Soto doubling his salary? And Turner?
Yes he would be, but it still doesn’t matter. Soto is choosing between two NY teams.
He’s going to do it anyway, so why not with them.
Yes. Players know they have their shot at free agency and they have to negotiate the best deal based on the market at the time. Future salaries will be higher for other stud players. Aaron Judge, for example, is not going to be unhappy if Soto blows past his AAV. He’ll be happy to have him back as a teammate, all while pushing overall salaries for players higher. Harper will be happy to call Soto a teammate, although I don’t see it happening.
No team is going to outbid Steve Cohen for Soto. Good luck trying.
Yup. I remember when the Mets got Yamamoto last year…
It’s been reported a few times that Cohen has said he won’t be used just to drive up the price. He has to believe the player wants to come to the Mets. That’s why he stepped out of the Yamamoto negotiations despite having the initial best offer. I potentially see the same thing happening here. He’ll move on if he senses Soto’s goal is to return to the Yankees.
Soto’s a great hitter, but his defense, marketability and leadership don’t move the needle enough to justify more than half he’s actually gonna get from one of the New York boneheads….
What’s wrong with his leadership?
He’s a support guy. Teo Hernandez not as good a hitter, but his personality & clubhouse presence for like a fraction of the price….
Says who? This is fan gossip.
Just watch in the dugout and on the field, man. It’s called scouting….
VonPurpleHayes;
Of course we fans don’t know.
But players on this years Padres have said that the attitudes regarding the approach of the team changed in 2024 from 2023. There was more of a priority towards fundamental team baseball and regard for wins, and less about personal statistics.
More than one player noted the major catalysts for the change in attitude were: 1) Mike Schildt brought in as the manager; and 2) Juan Soto being traded.
His marketability is quite high. At his age, he’s one of the more bankable players in the game not named Ohtani or Judge or a couple others, especially in a market like NY with a heavy Dominican population. All reports indicate he’s a model teammate.
Never said he’s a clubhouse cancer, bro….
Never mentioned “clubhouse cancer” in my response, bro…
Soto’s the Dominican Ohtani. But you gotta adjust for GDP….
Believe this is more than due diligence. The Phillies will make a competitive offer. They are most likely going to trade Alec Bohm (not sure how I feel about this) for a 9th inning arm. For that to happen, I think an agreement needs to be in place for Alex Bregman. There’s mutual interest there between player and club. Don’t think they’ll get Juan Soto, but do not be surprised to see them make that blockbuster trade for Mike Trout after Juan Soto signs his mega deal with the Yankees, Red Sox or Dodgers.
No team that plans on contending should be trading for Mike Trout in 2024.
The Phillies likely prefer Soto goes back to the Yankees, but want to be in the negotiations in case he’s serious about the Mets.
609Collectibles;
I don’t know that any decent MLB FO trades a young, affordable All-Star 3B with 2 years of control “for a 9th inning arm”.
9th inning arms often blow out from season to season. That especially hurts with 9th inning arms that have large contracts…..and even more so if those contracts are for multiple years.
Imagine if the Nats had used their World Series money to extend all their young guys like the Braves did
Waiting for all the comments saying that this will ruin the sport and that mlb is broken and people vowing to completely quit watching. Oh wait nm, that’s only the opinion if it’s a team you actively hate. If it’s another high spending team then that’s totally cool and everything is fine.
imho this isn’t as much of a longshot as people seem to think. middleton is no dummy and his “stalking horse” line could be cover
dasir: I think Middleton pretty much said he’s got a limit and if some other owners, like Cohen, I suspect, want to offer a ridiculously high offer, Middleton is gonna just stop his pursuit of Soto. It’s like, which team wants to be the first to a $400M payroll?