Soto’s free agency journey has already included discussions with the Yankees, Mets, Red Sox, and Blue Jays, with another meeting planned later today between his representatives and the Dodgers. A new contender, the Philadelphia Phillies, is also expected to meet with the powerful hitter, although a formal meeting has not yet been confirmed, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post (via X).
Exciting news for Phillies
It’s not surprising that the Phillies are exploring the possibility of signing another high-profile player, as both ownership and president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski have a history of pursuing and acquiring superstar free agents. Bryce Harper and Trea Turner are prime examples, and it’s likely that Harper and Turner have already reached out to their former Nationals teammate Soto about the potential of reuniting in Philadelphia.
Earlier this month, Phillies chairman John Middleton confirmed the team’s interest in the Soto sweepstakes, although he was honest about his perspective on Soto’s market. Middleton suggested that Soto seems inclined to join New York, and while he doesn’t mind playing the role of a “stalking horse,” he and Dombrowski would eventually step back if they feel the Phillies are unlikely to land Soto, acknowledging that they’ve been in similar situations before.
Much needed boost for the team
This suggests that the Phillies aren’t planning to chase Soto as aggressively as other teams in the mix, though there’s little downside to meeting with Soto and his agent, Scott Boras, to gauge the situation. If other suitors fail to meet Soto’s asking price or face other complications, the Phillies could position themselves as a fallback option, still offering a lot of appeal as a consistent contender likely to remain in the playoff race for the foreseeable future.
Signing Soto to a record-breaking contract would push the Phillies’ already large payroll even higher. According to RosterResource, the team’s payroll for 2025 is roughly $269 million, with a $288 million luxury tax number, even before making any major offseason acquisitions. Adding Soto would push the Phillies well past the highest luxury tax threshold of $301 million. Since the Phillies have paid luxury taxes for the past three seasons, any additional overages would come with an increased financial penalty, meaning that signing Soto would effectively cost the team twice the amount of his actual salary.
A worthy addition
Middleton might be open to a one-year splurge, especially considering that Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto will be free agents next winter, freeing up a significant amount of money on the Phillies’ payroll. Ideally, the team would prefer to clear space this offseason by moving either Nick Castellanos or Taijuan Walker, but that would be challenging, as both players have limited trade value.
If Soto were signed and Castellanos remained with the team, the two would likely handle the corner outfield spots, while Brandon Marsh and Johan Rojas would form a platoon in center field. Although this arrangement might not be ideal defensively, the Phillies might be willing to take a slight step back in the field if it meant adding Soto’s potent bat to their lineup.
