5 backup outfield free agent options if the Phillies strike out on Juan Soto
If the Phillies miss out on the 26-year-old superstar, what alternative outfield options are available?
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.
Jurickson Profar
After spending years trying to establish his niche in the major leagues for pretty much the past decade, Jurickson Profar finally managed to have his breakthrough season at age 31 in 2024 with the San Diego Padres. With ill-timed injuries to some of their key players in Xander Bogaerts, Ha-Seong Kim, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Luis Arráez that resulted in them missing significant chunks of the season, the Padres desperately looked to Profar and company to help carry the offensive load for the team this past year.
Even with the burden on his shoulders, Profar delivered big time for San Diego, as he ultimately put up career-best numbers in runs scored (94), hits (158), home runs (24), RBI (85), OPS (.839), OPS+ (134), and total bases (259). In doing so, he became an All-Star for the first time in his career, while helping the Padres reach the postseason for the second time in three years and the third time in the past five seasons.
On the other hand, Profar’s defense may leave a bit to be desired, after registering -8 DRS over 148 games in the outfield. But at least he was steady and reliable with the routine plays, committing only one error all year in 235 total chances for a sparkling .996 fielding percentage. He also added four outfield assists for good measure.
A former No. 1 prospect of the Texas Rangers, Profar appears to have plenty of productive years still ahead of him as he looks to have finally found his groove in the majors. With the ability to hit from both sides of the plate, he should fit in seamlessly in the top-half of the Phillies lineup to help balance the attack and maximize run production.
We had actually previously suggested earlier that the Phillies should acquire Profar in a trade with the Padres during the 2024 season to help solve their outfield situation. Now with Profar becoming a free agent this offseason, they will instead have that same opportunity to recruit him without having to worry about losing any potential precious assets from within the organization in the process.
Anthony Santander
Another prime candidate that the Phillies should consider is former Baltimore Orioles star outfielder Anthony Santander. Signed as an international free agent out of Venezuela way back in 2011 by the then Cleveland Indians, Santander’s MLB career didn't take off until after joining the Orioles organization via the Rule 5 Draft ahead of the 2017 season.
It may have taken a while for him to develop, but he finally received regular playing time in the Orioles lineup from 2019 onwards and has not looked back.
Santander will never be known for hitting for a high batting average, but one thing is for sure: He has been consistent with his power and run production for the most part in his eight years in the majors to date. He has averaged 83 runs scored, 34 doubles, 34 home runs and 94 RBI per season over a 162-game schedule pace.
More importantly, Santander is actually coming off perhaps the best season of his career, setting personal bests in runs scored (91), home runs (44), RBI (102), walks (58) and total bases (301), en route to his first-ever All-Star appearance. With the ability to hit from both sides of the plate, he would give the Phillies some flexibility when setting their daily lineup to maximize its effectiveness according to specific matchups.
As for his defense in general, Santander isn’t going to win a Gold Glove Award any time soon, although he was a surprising finalist during the COVID-shortened 2020 season. Nevertheless, he certainly plays a solid game in the field, leading to his career .989 fielding percentage while committing only 14 errors in 1,252 total chances over 5,007 total innings roaming the outfield.
Having just turned 30 heading into free agency this offseason, he is entering his prime at just the right moment. With early predictions having Santander’s contract terms projected to be around five years with an annual salary just north of $20 million AAV, he would represent one of the more affordable options for the Phillies on this list. Added to the fact that he could break out even more when surrounded by Trea Turner, Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber, the Phillies lineup could get a lot more scary really quick.
Cody Bellinger
On paper, Cody Bellinger represents perhaps one of the best backup options behind Soto. After all, Bellinger has put together an impressive MLB resume that has included NL Rookie of the Year honors in 2017, an NL MVP in 2019, two All-Star nominations, two Silver Slugger Awards, and a Gold Glove Award for good measure.
With 196 home runs and 597 RBI already for his career after spending eight seasons in the big leagues, Bellinger has the ability to average 25+ home runs and 75+ RBI each year all while hitting for a decent average.
This past season with the Chicago Cubs, Bellinger had a slight drop-off from 2023 in which he compiled a stellar .307 batting average and .881 OPS, with 95 runs scored, 26 home runs, 97 RBI and 20 stolen bases in 130 games. In 2024, he batted just a solid .266 with a .751 OPS, with 72 runs scored, 23 doubles, 18 home runs, 78 RBI and nine stolen bases in the same number of games. Despite the overall decrease in offensive numbers, it was still more than what the Phillies got out of their left field or center field positions this past season.
More importantly, Bellinger was able to show his versatility by playing multiple positions in the outfield, along with first base at times. With only two errors committed in 313 total chances across all the positions for a sparkling .994 fielding percentage, he proved that he still has it in terms of solid defense. With that flexibility, the Phillies can certainly get creative with the deployment of Bellinger in their everyday lineup to keep the opposition off guard.
However, it remains to be seen whether Bellinger will opt out of his current contract with the Cubs to even make this outfield free agent option plausible for Philadelphia. Despite some recent prediction rumors indicating that he will likely opt-in to his current deal, anything is still possible between now and the start of free agency as nothing has been set in stone. As a result, the Phillies must prepare themselves to quickly pounce or pivot to whatever ends up materializing.
Teoscar Hernández
Finally, we have one of the current postseason heroes, Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernández. The Dodgers signed the 32-year-old slugger to a one-year, $23.5 million contract after he spent a season with the Seattle Mariners in 2023. Los Angeles was looking to add some extra thump to their lineup to help complement the likes of the power-hitting Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman.
Boy, has their investment paid huge dividends for them this past season. Hernández ended up ranking second on the team behind only Ohtani in terms of runs scored, hits, home runs, RBI and total bases. In total, Hernández amassed a solid .272 batting average, .840 OPS and 137 OPS, with 84 runs scored, 32 doubles, 33 home runs, 99 RBI and 12 stolen bases in 154 games. He was also clutch with runners in scoring position, with 11 of his home runs and 71 of his RBI coming in such situations, batting at a .288 clip with a .943 OPS.
Not only has Hernández been a force during the regular season, but he carried his strong play into the 2024 MLB playoffs, helping the Dodgers ultimately win the World Series. In 16 playoff games, he posted a .769 OPS with eight runs scored, three home runs and 12 RBI while showing better-than-normal plate discipline with 10 walks and 15 strikeouts.
Before knocking in two runs to tie Game 5 of the World Series, his biggest hit during the playoffs came during the NLDS against the Padres. He provided the insurance marker by belting a home run in the seventh inning of Game 4 to help secure the come-from-behind series victory for the Dodgers.
For a Phillies team looking for a proven difference-maker in the biggest moments of the game, Hernández certainly showed that he is more than capable of doing so throughout the 2024 season. Added to the fact that he has produced at least 25 home runs and 77 RBI in each of his past four seasons, he represents the most consistent and successful run producer of all of the candidates on this list.
So if the Phillies don’t want to gamble with other free agents on potential health issues or potential variability in their production from season to season based on their recent track records, Hernández should be the safest bet of all of the backup options available.
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