PHILADELPHIA— The hot stove is officially on fire.
Major League Baseball’s free agency period has been open for weeks. But with the Winter Meetings just days away, teams are starting to take action. Unfortunately for the Phillies, potential oppositions in their quest for a World Series championship are beginning to improve their clubs.
The Phillies lose two potential options
On Sunday, two top players reached deals with new teams. Willy Adames, a shortstop who was last with the Milwaukee Brewers, signed a 7-year, 182 million-dollar contract with the San Francisco Giants. San Fran recently named Buster Posey, their former catcher, their President of Baseball Operations. Posey wanted to make a splash and signed the top shortstop on the market.
While the Phillies have Trea Turner, there were talks that Adames would be willing to move to second or third base for a new team. With rampant rumors of Alec Bohm being available via trade, it seemed like if the Phillies were to move Bohm, Adames could be a fit.
That option is no longer on the board for the Phillies. Willy now joins a Giants club that finished 4th in the National League West a season ago.
The other big name to come off the board on Sunday was left fielder Tyler O’Neill. With the Phillies needing a right-handed-hitting left fielder, the fit was perfect between the two sides. After letting Austin Hays walk earlier in the off-season, the club that traded Hays to Philly, the Baltimore Orioles, snagged the former Red Sox.
Tyler O’Neill slugged 31 home runs in 2024 with the Boston Red Sox. After coming over to Boston from the St. Louis Cardinals, Tyler had a resurgence with the Sox. His bat was one of the best in baseball, and his value skyrocketed in just one year.
He signed a 3-year, 49.5 million dollar contract with Baltimore. The deal does include a player opt-out after the 2025 season, meaning he could be a free agent once again next off-season.
If the Phillies front office had an interest in either player, we may never find out. The fact is both players are off the market, and with Philly seemingly out of the Juan Soto sweepstakes, the top free-agent options are starting to dwindle.
Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
