4 Reasons Why Philadelphia Phillies Should Pursue Juan Soto in Free Agency

Here is why the Philadelphia Phillies should pursue Juan Soto in free agency.

Oct 29, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Yankees outfielder Juan Soto (22) on third base during the first inning in game four of the 2024 MLB World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Yankee Stadium. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The Philadelphia Phillies are heading into the offseason looking to improve and get this team finally over the hump in the playoffs. 

It was a disappointing end to the 2024 campaign, as the Phillies lost to the New York Mets in the National League Division Series. This offseason, Philadelphia knows a few key areas that they will need to improve based on why they lost to the Mets. 

First, fixing the bullpen will be a priority, as it should be. In addition to falling short against New York, they also have Jeff Hoffman and Carlos Estevez hitting free agency. In addition to the bullpen, adding some help in the outfield would be welcomed, besides Nick Castellanos, the rest of the outfield didn’t hit well. 

In free agency, the top prize is going to be outfielder Juan Soto. While every team will want to sign him, not every team will be able to afford him. While the Phillies are certainly one of the teams that could take on the expense, if they chose to, he also might make a lot of sense for them. Here are four reasons why they should sign the talented 26-year-old. 

Harper Deal Worked 

While it is hard to make a comparison in free agency for a player as young as Soto, perhaps the best player comp might be Bryce Harper. Philadelphia was able to win that sweepstakes years ago, and it has worked out well. 

Harper is still one of the best players in baseball, and the team has had a lot of success with him leading the way. Making a similar move with Soto would be a good decision based off the success that they have had with arguably the closest comparison. 

Need Outfield Help

The performance of the outfielders in the playoffs besides Castellanos was really poor and one of the main reasons why the Phillies were eliminated from the playoffs. Making a big splash like getting Soto would instantly fix that problem, as a combination of Soto and Castellanos in the outfield would be excellent. 

Arms Race with Dodgers

Over the past couple of years, the Los Angeles Dodgers have really ramped up in free agency and in trades. In doing so, they have created an extremely talented roster that has a big window to win. Philadelphia has to look at the Dodgers as the biggest threat in the National League with their roster and willingness to spend on top free agents. They might very well be in on the 26-year-old as well, as they aren’t sitting around after winning a World Series. 

Built to Win

The current Phillies roster is built to win with talented veterans like Harper and Zack Wheeler still performing at a very high level. With that being said, this core has yet to be able to get over the hump and win a World Series, as the franchise clearly needs more. 

Adding a superstar like Soto would certainly be an all-in move to prove that they are committed to trying to win a championship with their core, and there really wouldn’t be any excuses for falling short of those expectations over the next couple of years.