The Philadelphia Phillies are in the mix to make a blockbuster move after meeting with free agent infielder Bo Bichette. Signing Bichette would create other problems, financially and roster-wise, so while the Phillies are considered the "favorite," there's a good chance nothing happens.
If Bichette doesn't sign with Philadelphia, where will he land? The Los Angeles Dodgers are always a threat to swoop in and add another star player to the most talented team in MLB.
MLB.com's Anthony Castrovince recently wrote a piece predicting which organizations the top remaining free agent positional players will sign with. Phillies fans won't be pleased that he thinks the Dodgers, the team that eliminated the Phillies from the postseason last year, will come to terms on a deal with Bichette.
“The new scuttlebutt about the Phillies planning to meet with Bichette presents a fascinating alternative (and creates a domino effect for trade candidate Alec Bohm), but let’s focus on the scenario that would add spice to a potential World Series rematch. A gimpy Bichette came back from a knee injury and showed little rust in going 8-for-23 with four walks in the World Series. Not a bad audition. And his age (28 on Opening Day) and return from injury could make him a candidate for the kind of shorter-term, high-average annual value contract the Dodgers prefer.”
Could the Dodgers end up signing Bo Bichette despite the Phillies being the favorites?
Bichette is hoping to receive a contract similar to what third baseman Alex Bregman agreed to with the Chicago Cubs, a five-year, $175 million deal. The Phillies may not be in a position to agree to an expensive contract with Bichette.
If he isn’t receiving such a contract from any interested suitors, he may need to accept a short-term deal with a higher AAV and potential opt-outs, which will be even more difficult for Philadelphia. The Phillies would also need to make more changes to their roster if they signed Bichette (subscription required).
The Dodgers, meanwhile, have been willing to remain competitive by signing whom they want. Winning back-to-back World Series and accumulating talent such as Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Mookie Betts will intrigue any free agent looking for success.
Phillies fans may not like it, but the Dodgers' preference to defer contracts to their top stars allows them to be a suitor for the top talent in free agency every offseason. Los Angeles has been rumored to be interested in other free agents such as Kyle Tucker and Cody Bellinger this offseason. They added arguably the best closer available in Edwin Díaz on Dec. 12.
The Dodgers aren't going anywhere and remain in the mix to sign some of the top free agents available. President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski and managing partner John Middleton will need to increase the club's payroll, which they have expressed an aversion to doing, if they want to sign Bichette. Would the Phillies be willing to do that, preventing Los Angeles from adding another talented player to a championship-winning franchise?