With the World Series on the horizon, the offseason is quickly approaching. The Philadelphia Phillies had an early playoff exit, losing to the Mets in the NLDS. This is the first season under Rob Thomson that the Phillies did not make it to the NLCS. Granted, that’s only two seasons, but it still presents questions of how to approach the offseason ahead, and Juan Soto’s name sticks out like a sore thumb.
Why did the Phillies fail to make a deep run this year?
The bullpen collapsed, the bats chased balls far outside the zone, and the defense was shaky. You can spend all day pointing the finger, but one thing is for certain; moves need to be made. This is the third year in a row the bats went ice cold, this is the second year in a row the bullpen was the most unreliable aspect of pitching, and it is the third year in a row the starting rotation was let down massively.
One area the Phillies must improve at this offseason is plate discipline. In the 2023 NLCS, the Arizona Diamondbacks figured out the Phillies would chase if you made the pitch look half decent. The Mets figured out the same thing in this year’s NLDS. They need someone who can get on base and hit at around a .290-.300 average. There is one player on everyone’s mind that can get the job done and he is currently getting ready to play in the World Series.
Juan Soto
Born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Juan Soto is the number one name on everyone’s list of MLB free agents going into the offseason. He is having an incredible postseason, hitting .333/.439/.667/1.106 with three home runs, including a three-run bomb to send the Yankees to the World Series.
He has an elite bat with a great eye and is an average defender in the outfield. He signed with the Nationals for $1.5 million as an international free agent in 2015. The Nationals called him up in 2018 and has basically been one of the best players in the league ever since. He broke many records after being called up, including becoming the youngest player in Nationals history to hit a home run, and the first teenager to hit one since fellow former National, Bryce Harper, in 2012.
He is hitting .285/.421/.532/.953 in his career with 201 home runs, 769 walks, and 696 strikeouts in 936 games played. He just turned 26 today.
Should the Phillies sign him?
The Phillies should hand Juan Soto a blank check and say, “How much do you want, and for how long?”
Juan Soto is the exact player the Phillies need in the lineup. He was only behind Aaron Judge in OBP and walks this season, and was 16th in Major League Baseball in batting average. He is also a monster in the postseason.
Normally one player will not fix every problem for an organization in any sport, especially baseball, but when you look at what the Phillies need, Juan Soto is the exact guy you think of. Inserting him into the lineup changes the entire dynamic and game plan.
Can the Phillies sign him?
On the most recent episode of his podcast, “Fair Territory,” Ken Rosenthal stated he believes Juan Soto will go to the highest bidder. John Middleton proved with his offer to Yoshinobu Yamamoto that the current contracts do not deter him from trying to land another star.
Excluding the money, Soto has five reasons to consider the Phillies over any other team in MLB: Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper, Trea Turner, Howie Kendrick, and Kevin Long.
He played with Schwarber, Harper, Turner, and Kendrick while with the Washington Nationals, the team that had Kevin Long as their hitting coach.
Howie Kendrick is now the Special Assistant to The General Manager of the Phillies and Kevin Long is the Phillies’ hitting coach. Soto would be playing with, and being coached by, people he is very familiar with. Soto said during a game against the Boston Red Sox that Bryce Harper has “wowed” him the most of any teammates.
While I believe the Phillies will go “all-in” on landing Soto, I do not think he will come to Philadelphia. I think the Yankees will do right by their fans and make him a Yankee for the rest of his career. After all, they are in the biggest market in baseball
The Phillies will have to outbid two of the richest owners in Major League Baseball if they want to land Juan Soto, but they can do it. John Middleton and the rest of the ownership group know the fans will give them their money back in ticket sales, merch, and more.
Mandatory Credit: David Dermer-Imagn Images
