Many free agents remain available following the conclusion of the MLB Winter Meetings earlier in December. Some teams will be looking to make more additions this winter and the Philadelphia Phillies are among them.
The Phillies have been involved in trade rumors this offseason, primarily involving third baseman Alec Bohm. Outfielder Nick Castellanos' name is also subject to speculation for the second straight winter. There is still plenty of time for the organization to look different before spring training begins in mid-February.
President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski has the reputation of making big trades to help a club win a championship. It worked for the Boston Red Sox during the 2018 season. He also made headlining trade acquisitions during his time with the Detroit Tigers.
Philadelphia may have acquired starting pitcher Garrett Crotchet at July's trade deadline from the Chicago White Sox. According to Matt Gelb of The Athletic, Dombrowski was willing to offer some of Philly's top prospects (subscription required), such as shortstop Aidan Miller and outfielder Justin Crawford. However, they did not want to part with starting pitcher Andrew Painter, whom Chicago wanted in exchange for the left-hander.
Regarding free agency, the Phillies may look to sign players on short-term, team-friendly deals. They agreed to a one-year, $8.5 million deal with closer Jordan Romano during the Winter Meetings. The former Toronto Blue Jays reliever was one of MLB's best closers over the past few years before injuries derailed his 2024 season. If Philadelphia uses him as their closer consistently in 2025 and he remains healthy, the contract would be a bargain.
4 incredibly high-profile free agents the Phillies just don't need
Which free agents should the Phillies consider passing on, not in terms of an individual's talent but due to a player's contract demand and the team's remaining roster needs?
Let's look at four incredibly high-profile free agents the Phillies just don't need.
Jack Flaherty
Jack Flaherty is looking to cash in on a multi-year deal after he won a World Series with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The right-hander began the year with the Detroit Tigers and did well in 18 starts. He totaled a 2.95 ERA, an exceptional 0.96 WHIP and 133 strikeouts. Los Angeles acquired him from Detroit for catcher Thayron Liranzo and shortstop Trey Sweeney at the trade deadline.
The Dodgers dealt with multiple injuries to their starting rotation during the regular season, a common occurrence for the reigning World Series champions over the past several years. Flaherty finished with an ERA of 3.58 and a 1.28 WHIP in 10 starting appearances. He experienced his share of struggles during the postseason. The 29-year-old allowed six home runs in five starts, a 7.36 ERA, and a 1.50 WHIP. He surrendered multiple earned runs in four starts, including four in two appearances and eight in another.
Flaherty will likely sign a multi-year contract despite his playoff struggles with Los Angeles. Spotrac predicts the starter will agree to a three-year, $63 million contract. Given that the Phillies have starters Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola and Cristopher Sánchez signed beyond 2025, Dombrowski may look for more affordable alternatives to upgrade the back of their rotation.
Philadelphia's multi-year contract with Taijuan Walker has not worked out well, so the front office may be reluctant to sign another starter for several seasons. They also have Ranger Suárez for at least one more year, as he will be a free agent following 2025. Painter may make his major league debut next season as well. If he does not appear in the majors next year, he may compete for a rotation spot in spring training in 2026. While Flaherty would increase the team's pitching depth, it is not a necessity for the Phillies to sign a top free agent at the position.