Phillies Rumor Roundup: Yamamoto meeting, Bryce Harper extension?, more
The Phillies are still in the thick of the offseason rumor mill.
The Philadelphia Phillies checked a very big box this offseason when they successfully brought Aaron Nola back into the fold on a seven year, $172 million deal. For a team that is coming off back-to-back deep postseason runs, keeping the band together is not a small accomplishment. While the Braves will remain a problem in the division for a while, the Phillies are in a good spot yet again going into 2024 even if they don't do anything else.
However, it sure seems like the Phillies aren't done just yet. While there aren't clear holes that need addressing this offseason especially given the state of the free agent position player market this year, Philadelphia is remaining active and open to opportunities as they come up. Here is a look at the latest rumors surrounding the team.
Bryce Harper wants a contract extension
While most fans are focused on what new players could be joining the team, one of the biggest pieces of news to come out lately is that Bryce Harper has expressed a strong interest in getting a contract extension done with the Phillies so that he stays with the team the rest of his career. Bryce clearly has enjoyed his time with the team and it is nice to see that he wants to stick around until his playing days are done.
That said, the timing of Harper's request is pretty weird to say the least. He is already under control through 2031 and just turned 31 a couple of months ago. Given that he will be in his late 30's when his current deal is up and the fact that he had a major injury recently, it is hard to make the case that the Phillies should be clamoring to tack on a few years to his deal unless it involves restructuring it to the team's benefit.
Phillies met with top free agent starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto
Of course, the biggest news in Phillies-land is that the team met with the top starting pitcher on the free agent market, Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Yamamoto is meeting with a bunch of teams at the moment with most of the big spenders getting at least a chance to talk to him.
That said, it is nice to see the Phillies be willing to make a pitch to a guy that is probably going to command a deal in excess of $300 million. The Phillies' rotation is already a strength at the moment and adding a potential frontline starter like Yamamoto could very well be the move that pushes Philadelphia over the top. It would certainly make them a team that no team wants to deal with in a short playoff series.
Unfortunately, the Phillies are currently not considered among the favorites to land Yamamoto. Teams like the Mets and Giants are more in need of landing a big name to have for the long haul and then you have the usual suspects like the Yankees and Dodgers in the running. One team to keep an eye on is the Boston Red Sox who desperately need help in their starting rotation and who appear to be very keen on trying to lure Yamamoto to Boston.
The Phillies' meeting with Yamamoto seems like it will be among the last of this first round before Yamamoto starts trimming his options down, so it isn't outside the realm of possibility that we could get some closure to the Yamamoto Derby soon.
The Phillies might be done this offseason unless something falls in their laps
Going back to the start here, the Phillies don't have a lot they absolutely HAVE to do the rest of the offseason. Re-signing Aaron Nola was the biggest thing they needed to accomplish and now that that is done, everything else is just gravy. Sure, they are going to throw their hat in the ring on Yamamoto because this is Dave Dombrowski we are talking about after all, but the Phillies don't seem to love the rest of this free agent class.
Adding a bullpen arm or two would be nice, but there has been little in the way of reliable chatter connecting Philadelphia to the top relief arms like Josh Hader or Hector Neris who are going to be asking for big money. It seems more likely that they sign a quality 7th-inning guy more than deviating from their flexible bullpen strategy and signing a dedicated high-leverage guy.
The Phillies clearly are open to upgrading their rotation, but getting much better than what they have isn't going to be easy or cheap. If they miss out on Yamamoto (which is probably the safe bet), they are rumored to not be in love with the idea of Blake Snell and there has been no connection to Jordan Montgomery's free agency beyond idle speculation.
In short, the Phillies may be done this offseason for the most part and that is okay. Now if only they can get an extension with Zack Wheeler done so that he doesn't hit free agency after next season.
More Phillies News from That Balls Outta Here
manual