The Philadelphia Phillies will be adamantly looking to upgrade their outfield this offseason in preparation for the 2025 season. What better way to do so than to target Juan Soto, the top free agent outfielder available?
As a four-time All-Star, three-time Silver Slugger winner, as well as a former runner-up to the NL MVP Award, Soto would no doubt be the perfect long-term solution for the Phillies’ outfield, as well as in their potent lineup.
However, it could be quite a challenge for Philadelphia to obtain the services of the 26-year-old superstar. After all, the latest happenings in the rumor mill have it that the Phillies are likely longshots to land Soto, especially when his next contract has been predicted to be somewhere north of $500 million. That estimated amount has since been reaffirmed by MLB insider Ken Rosenthal as he also recently predicted Soto’s future annual salary to be in the neighborhood of $50 million-plus AAV on Foul Territory.
In the event that the Phillies end up striking out in signing Soto, what are the next best outfielders available on the free agent market? Let’s take a closer look at five of the potential viable options.
5 backup outfield free agent options if the Phillies strike out on Juan Soto
Tyler O’Neill
After previously spending his entire MLB career with the St. Louis Cardinals, Canadian Tyler O’Neill was traded by the Cardinals to the Boston Red Sox last offseason. The Red Sox were looking to O’Neill to help balance out their left-handed heavy outfield lineup that already had Jarren Duran, Wilyer Abreu and Masataka Yoshida. In addition, they were hoping that he could recapture his dominant MVP-like form prior to 2022 after being hit by a slew of injuries that have set him back in each of the past two seasons.
This year, O’Neill managed to put together his best season since 2021 despite enduring some minor ailments once again along the way. He posted a solid .241 batting average, .847 OPS, and 132 OPS+, with 74 runs scored, 18 doubles, 31 home runs, 61 RBI and four stolen bases in 113 games played. More importantly, he was a key part of the Red Sox's offensive attack, hitting primarily in the heart of the batting order for the most part of the 2024 season.
As a former two-time Gold Glove winner, O’Neill provided solid defense for Boston in the outfield by registering 1 DRS, recording four outfield assists along the way. With the Phillies looking for a huge boost in offensive potential from their outfield position without sacrificing too much defense in the process, O’Neill would seemingly be an ideal fit for the club. Hopefully, he has put his injury woes behind him and that he still has his best years ahead of him at the age of 29.