Mookie Betts
While easily the least likely option of the bunch, the ability to make a play for Mookie Betts during next year’s free agency period is quite possible. Through a combination of expiring salaries and hypothetical trades, the Phillies can clear upwards of $100 million dollars in salary by this time next year. Plenty of money lying around to hand over to a 4x All-Star and former MVP.
Before writing this off as a complete pipe dream, it would be wise to remember that there was a time in which the Phillies were fully prepared to hand over $600 million dollars to a Bryce Harper/Manny Machado duo. John Middleton and the Phils were ultimately priced out of the potential partnership by the Padres, but they were no doubt interested. Prior to Mike Trout receiving his mega-extension, the Phillies had already started campaigning for him to join Harper in a few years as well. Pairing up Harper with another “blue chip” MVP-caliber type player would almost instantly launch the Phillies into title contention.
After dominating the MLB for six years straight with the Boston Red Sox, Betts was traded to the Dodgers this past offseason. While Los Angeles would no doubt like to lock Betts up for another 10+ years, the 2018 World Series champ won’t make it cheap. After reportedly already turning down a $300 million dollar extension from the Red Sox last year, Betts could be targeting something closer to $400 million, an astonishingly large number.
While this would mean the Phillies would have to empty out their pocketbooks for a corner outfielder yet again, it would surely be worth it. If the Phillies are serious about pushing for a championship during Harper’s prime, adding a five-tool superstar in Betts is the single best thing they could do.