Four maybe not so bold predictions for this offseason

Something odd is going to happen

The offseason is a time for wild predictions, speculating which uniform different players will be donning once the 2025 spring training schedule begins. It’s the ultimate form of fantasy for fans since it’s lets one dream about all the scenarios possible for improving their team. Instead of doing the whole “the Phillies should trade for this guy!” thing that runs rampant this time of year, here are some predictions I’ve got for the offseason that has already begun.

The Phillies will be the runner up for Juan Soto

The sweepstakes will be high. The chase for Juan Soto is going to be about teams that can swim in the waters with numbers that are nine figures and start with a 6. Most, if not all, owners can afford to sign Soto to that kind of a deal, but few will actually be willing to do so. As much fun as it would be to see him swatting home runs in Colorado, there should be strong doubts over Soto’s desire to sign with the Rockies.

So, when it comes to actually trying to gain his services, we can probably count on one hand how many teams will be bellying up to the negotiation table. Both New York teams are a given, as are the Phillies. The Dodgers will likely sniff around and lay back in the weeds like a baseball Shere Khan. The Giants are in major need of signing a superstar after what feels like every offseason where they come up short. While he’d be a fit for any team in the game, there might be only another team or two who will be actual players in the game, which means the chances the Phillies sign him are higher than we think.

They’re still going to finish second.

We’ve heard already about the perceived interest the Phillies will have. Soto fits much of what the team needs – contact, contact with power, lack of chase, an outfielder. Even with a payroll skirting the upper reaches of the luxury tax, the team is fully capable of shoehorning him onto the roster. The relationship he has with Kevin Long is well documented, something that is working in the Phillies’ favor no matter what you feel about such things.

The Yankees still have more money.

All of those things we can say about the Phillies, we can also say about the Yankees. This postseason proved how much the Yankees need to place a priority on making sure Soto remains in pinstripes. Take him off the team and there is suddenly a lot more question marks about their ability to make a repeat run at the World Series. Take off the team and claim that you cannot afford him AS THE YANKEES and the case for contraction suddenly gets strengthened.

No doubt the Phillies will be in the mix for Soto. They are motivated to add another piece to make sure the Commissioner’s Trophy returns to Philadelphia. The way that Soto fits onto the roster is perfect in so many ways. In the end, though, they’re going to be the runner up, either to a Yankees team that truly needs to bring him back or a Mets team looking to cement their status as richest team in the game.

Trades will be the name of the game for outfield improvement

With all that being said about Soto, the obvious route for outfield improvement is going to be via trade. Scanning a list of available outfielders outside of Soto the Phillies could acquire simply by writing a check doesn’t inspire a ton of confidence that a meaningful upgrade could be made unless Jurickson Profar or Teoscar Hernandez tickle your fancy.

So, the trade we shall go.

If the team is feeling particularly bold, Kyle Tucker would be at the top of the list for the team, but that feels like a longshot in the dark of a haystack. Luis Robert rumors will continue to mill about until he is actually dealt, but if the price remains as it was at the trade deadline, the Phillies might be wise to steer somewhat clear of that kind of a package. Other than that, the number of obvious trade candidates don’t inspire much confidence either. This might be the part where we hear about trading good players for good players that we’ve heard from this front office before.

Speaking of which…

You’ll hear about Ranger Suarez being on the trade block

Dave Dombrowski made an interesting comment when talking about ways to improve his team this offseason.

“So I think we just have to be open-minded to exploring what’s out there for us. Talk to some clubs and see what ends up happening. That process hasn’t started. Sometimes you trade good players for good players.”

A comment shrouded in secrecy of course, but there are places on the team’s roster where they definitely have a “surplus”, the rotation being at the top. With Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Suarez and Cristopher Sanchez, the team possesses four pitchers that can not only start a playoff game, but find success in doing so. There is a need to have enough arms to make it through the grueling 162 game season, but for teams that have championship aspirations, the benchmark for a starter is usually “Can he start a playoff game?”

We’re all aware of how much starting pitching is valued in the league, but one cannot help but be intrigued by the comment made by Dombrowski. It’s possibly a far fetched idea, but at this point, there are a few angles to consider. Is the team going to sign Ranger Suarez to an extension? He’s come up injured in the last two seasons and on a team that leans on their starters as much as the Phillies do, availability is an important part of being a member of the staff. With Sanchez getting his extension this past season, it’s possible that the team has already made their decision as to who to keep long term while trying to shoehorn younger (re: cheaper) options into the rotation.

The issue with dealing Suarez is it puts the team at a disadvantage where they seemingly have an advantage over many teams. Being able to run out four high quality arms during the week is something many teams aren’t able to do. You can only have so many bullpen games during the regular season. Trading away Suarez would be a silly move to make unless there is either a) actual quality coming back in return, or b) another quality arm coming back in Suarez’s stead (and no, I do not mean Taijuan Walker).

Oh.

Still, nothing here says that the team will actually deal Suarez, but like the Nick Castellanos rumors that slipped out last year, don’t be surprised if a Suarez nugget also drops along the way.

The Phillies are a mystery team!

We all love mystery teams. They are the spice of life, the straw that stirs the free agent drink.

The Phillies will be the mystery team all offseason long…with Roki Sasaki.

The implications that surround Sasaki going to Los Angeles are rampant and obvious. Teams on the West Coast will always have an advantage when it comes to signing players from Japan and the Dodgers employing two of the biggest stars from there doesn’t hurt things at all. But the nugget about Sasaki possibly wanting somewhere smaller is a bit interesting.

This also assumes that Sasaki is posted at all.

If he is posted and made available to all teams to bid on, there will be the usual players. Both Los Angeles teams, Seattle, San Francisco, both New York teams of course, but the Phillies will be in the weeds. They’ll be the team that we all refer to as “the mystery team”. It’ll be found out later in the process, but once it is, it’ll all make sense.