Philadelphia Phillies Real Threats To Sign New York Yankees Star Free Agent Star

The Philadelphia Phillies could pose a real threat to the New York Yankees being able to retain their star free agent.

Jul 29, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; New York Yankees outfielder Juan Soto (22) celebrates win against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. / Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

The Philadelphia Phillies are going to leave no stone unturned this offseason after their unexpectedly early exit from the 2024 MLB playoffs.

Considered World Series contenders throughout the campaign, they were defeated rather easily in the NLDS by their National League East rivals, the New York Mets, in four games.

Their bullpen, which had been dominant during the year, struggled at the worst possible time. Two of their key arms, Carlos Estevez and Jeff Hoffman, are hitting the open market as well.

There were also several players in their lineup struggling down the stretch, as timely hitting was nowhere to be found.

With the offseason now here, it will be interesting to see what Dave Dombrowski and the front office decide to do with the roster. Shaking up the core of the team will be considered as they aren’t getting any younger and the title window looks to be closing.

Their willingness to make a big move seems to be on the surface, as third baseman Alec Bohm has reportedly been placed on the trade block, but this is a franchise that isn’t afraid to spend in free agency.

As shared by Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report, an eye-popping amount of money has been given to players to bring them to the Phillies.

That is part of the reason why he has ranked them as one of the most realistic threats to the New York Yankees and Mets, the presumed favorites in the Juan Soto sweepstakes.

“They are built unabashedly on free agents, with commitments to Bryce Harper, Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber, Nick Castellanos, J.T. Realmuto and Aaron Nola totaling over $1 billion. And the first were formerly with Soto in Washington and ditto for hitting coach Kevin Long.”

While the star right fielder hasn’t played in Philadelphia previously, there would be a level of comfortability given how many teammates and coaches he has been alongside in the past. That could be an edge for the Phillies over other teams if it comes down to more than money.

It makes sense that Rymer has the team ranked so highly because MLB insiders, such as Mark Feinsand, believe Philadelphia will at least take a shot at landing Soto.

Alas, there are real concerns about how they would fit a contract that large into their salary.

Could that be why they are willing to trade away someone such as Bohm, who is going to receive a raise in arbitration this year?

It could certainly play a part, as they are already projected to be way over the $241 million first luxury tax threshold. Soto would cause that number to skyrocket even more, as other moves would have to occur beforehand.

The Phillies do offer a player of Soto’s caliber a lot to like.

They are a ready-made contender and their home field of Citizen’s Bank Park is a draw for any hitter. The cost of living in Philadelphia is also pretty low compared to some of the other suitors he is going to have.