Phillies Expected to 'Strongly Pursue' Juan Soto in Free Agency, Per Insider

The Philadelphia Phillies are expected to heavily pursue the services of Yankees superstar Juan Soto in free agency.

Oct 26, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; New York Yankees outfielder Juan Soto (22) hits a solo home run in the third inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers during game two of the 2024 MLB World Series at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

As the New York Yankees look to fight out of a 2-0 hole in the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, one of their star sluggers who got them to the Fall Classic could be pursued in free agency by this National League East team.

Pending free agent Juan Soto, who's had a great first season in the Bronx, is expected to be "strongly pursued" by the Philadelphia Phillies according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today.

Soto, who was traded to the Yankees from the San Diego Padres in December of 2023 is set to be a free agent for the first time in his career this winter.

Soto is represented by super agent Scott Boras, who also represents Soto's former teammate Bryce Harper, and the Phillies are expected to look for some outfield help in the offseason.

Boras also revealed to Nightengale that if Padres owner Peter Seidler was alive today, none of this Soto free agency drama would be happening.

Seidler passed away on November 14, 2023 at the age of 63 after a battle with cancer and had previously expressed his desire to make Soto a Padre for life.

"Peter and I were knee-deep in Juan Soto (contract) discussions," Boras told Nightengale. “Well advanced. His illness really stopped the process because we knew the organization would be different. He wanted to push it through even though he was ill."

Three week after Seidler passed, Soto became a Yankee.

San Diego acquired Soto from the Washington Nationals at the 2022 trade deadline. After helping San Diego reach the NLCS that season, ultimately falling to the Phillies in six games, the Padres did not reach the playoffs the following year in 2023.

Soto, who just turned 26 on October 25, could become the league's second highest-paid player this offseason after slugging a career-high 41 home runs in his first season in New York.

Soto is going to draw a ton of interest once he officially hits the market and you can now add the Phillies as a candidate for the Yankees' superstar.