Every baseball offseason is an opportunity for Major League Baseball teams to construct and reconstruct their rosters to give themselves the best chance at chasing a title come October. Even the top dogs come in expecting to be top suitors for the sport's biggest stars.
Superstar outfielder Juan Soto assuredly gives any team he signs with a sizable boost in championship aspirations. At 26 years old, Soto is already a seasoned veteran with seven major league seasons under his belt. The payday he seeks will be generational with career numbers of .285/.421/.532 and a career .953 OPS that is tied for 23 all-time. Now Soto looks to choose his own future.
The Los Angeles Dodgers were crowned 2024 World Series champions after defeating Soto and the Yankees in just five games. One month later, the Dodgers are now among the favorites to sign Soto in free agency, but are they truly a favorite to sign him?
Why the Phillies don't have to worry about the Dodgers signing Juan Soto
USA Today's Bob Nightengale recently reported that the Dodgers could end up being more of a bargaining tool to help drive up the price for Soto.
"The Los Angeles Dodgers just won a World Series without Soto, and it wasn’t much of an inconvenience to drive through traffic across town, and meet with Soto and agent Scott Boras," Nightengale writes. "The meeting helps perhaps drive the price up for Soto ..."
For the Dodgers, it wasn't hard to meet Soto with the Boras headquarters being located across town in Newport Beach. Chavez Ravine has turned into a very attractive destination, so little effort needed to be made on the Dodgers' end.
They also just signed left-handed starter Blake Snell late Tuesday night to a five-year, $182 million deal, with a $52 million signing bonus and $65 million in deferred money included. The newest deal handed out could take them out of the running for Soto. Maybe their meeting with Soto will truly end up being nothing more than a footnote in this free agency saga.
After initial reports that the Philadelphia Phillies hadn't contacted Boras or Soto, MLB.com's Todd Zolecki confirmed on The Phillies Show podcast that there actually have been conversations and that the Phillies still plan on meeting with Soto.
This narrative now looks again like the Phillies can best the Dodgers this offseason. The Phillies have more flexibility and with no deferments after 2027, they have the room to commit a $600+ million payday if they truly want to win the biggest prize in Soto.
There are always twists and turns in MLB free agency, with rumors circulating. You can never count the Dodgers out on making a deal, but the Phillies are in a better position financially and have among the best front offices in place to negotiate a deal to get Soto to Philadelphia and start their redemption tour at another postseason run in 2025.