Dream Phillies Free Agent Target Already Increasing His Price Tag With Sizzling Start

If the Philadelphia Phillies want to land their dream free agent target next offseason, it's not going to come cheap after the start he's had to the year.

Mar 29, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Chicago Cubs outfielder Kyle Tucker (30) hits a two-run home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the fifth inning at Chase Field / Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

The Philadelphia Phillies were uncharacteristically quiet this past offseason.

With tons of stars already on their roster and one of the highest payrolls in all of baseball, going after a high-priced free agent was a step too far even for the aggressive executive Dave Dombrowski and free-spending owner John Middleton.

To improve this roster, the Phillies focused on the margins by adding players on short-term contracts, signing outfielder Max Kepler, relievers Jordan Romano and Joe Ross, and then making their splash in the trade market by acquiring Jesus Luzardo.

Whether that is the recipe for World Series success will be seen, but as the organization looks ahead to the future, many are expecting Philadelphia to be active when it comes to the next free agency cycle.

One player who would be a dream target is Kyle Tucker.

The superstar right fielder would upgrade the weakest unit on this team, giving the Phillies a staple in that position group for years to come alongside Johan Rojas, Brandon Marsh and top prospects Justin Crawford and Gabriel Rincones Jr.

If Philadelphia is going to win the Tucker sweepstakes, it's going to cost them.

Already projected to land something in the AAV range that Juan Soto received this past winter, what Tucker has done so far this season has raised his price tag.

Through eight games, he's gone 12-for-34 with four homers, five doubles and 11 RBI, putting up a ridiculous OPS of 1.303.

It should be pointed out that Tucker has played two games inside a dome during the Tokyo Series, four at the second-most hitter friendly park when facing the Arizona Diamondbacks and now two in a minor league ballpark against the Athletics that could produce the most runs ever in a singular MLB campaign.

What his numbers will look like when he heads back home as a member of the Chicago Cubs to play at Wrigley and the other stadiums in the NL Central division will be seen, but there's no doubt teams are starting to put aside some cash to make him an offer after the year.

The Phillies should be one of them.

Nick Castellanos and Taijuan Walker's contracts come off the books after the 2026 campaign. Both Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto are hitting the open market when this season ends.

Dombrowski will have some tough decisions to make regarding re-signing Schwarber and Realmuto, both players who don't seem to have a one-for-one replacement in the organization at the moment.

But the biggest decision will need to come from Middleton.

How much more money he's willing to put into this team is something he has to figure out, because with the way Tucker has played so far, adding the dream target is not going to come cheap.

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