The Phillies have some interesting arbitration decisions to make this offseason
The Phillies have eight players up for arbitration this offseason. Which ones should receive raises, and which players should be non-tendered?
Now that the Philadelphia Phillies' season is officially over the front office will begin to plan the offseason. Many fans like to watch and hope for big trades or signings, but some of the most important offseason moves come from arbitration.
The Phillies have eight players who are arbitration eligible — players who have accrued at least three years of MLB service time but less than six years — heading into the winter. Some are likely going to be offered significant raises in their contracts, others may receive the league average salary for 2024, and others may be non-tendered, or not offered a deal at all.
MLB Trade Rumors put out their list of Phillies' players who are up for arbitration this season and an estimate of their potential 2024 salary.
Phillies arbitration-eligible players:
- Jeff Hoffman, $2.1 million
- Ranger Suárez, $4.7 million
- Gregory Soto, $4.9 million
- Jake Cave, $1.4 million
- Edmundo Sosa, $1.7 million
- Dylan Covey, $1 million
- Garrett Stubbs, $900 thousand
- Alec Bohm, $4.3 million
Each player on the list contributed to the Phillies at some point in the 2023 season. None of these salaries will break the bank for the club, however, some players are worth keeping — and maybe even extending through their remaining arbitration years — and some are not worth bringing back.
The front office, the players and their agents will attempt to negotiate deals that will benefit both the club and the player. The team can offer a contract to the player, and if the player finds the deal acceptable, they will avoid arbitration and settle on that contract. If a player feels that they are worth more than the team is offering, they can wait it out and exchange figures with the team.
If no deal is reached, the team and player will go to a hearing with an independent arbiter who decides what the new salary will be. There is no meeting in the middle at that point; the arbiter chooses the player's side or the club's side.
Let's look at which players should be back and which players should not be tendered a contract.
Guaranteed to be back
There are four players on the list who are locks to be back. Alec Bohm, Ranger Suárez, Jeff Hoffman and Gregory Soto will all be back in 2024. Each player plays a crucial role for the Phillies, and the club will offer each one a contract.
Bohm will be the team's third baseman — maybe first baseman if Bryce Harper moves back to the outfield. His role will be important regardless of which position he plays. The 27-year-old improved defensively at two different positions in 2023. He also knocked in a career-high 97 runs. He is valuable to the team and even if he gets a little more than the projected $4.3 million, it would be worth it, given his importance to the club.
Suárez is another lock to be offered a contract. He has proven his value in both the regular season and the past two postseasons. The Phillies should consider buying out the left-hander's remaining arbitration years and offer him a three or four-year deal that would pay him more money. He has earned it, and it wouldn't be surprising if the club wanted to lock him up to a deal like they did with Aaron Nola a few years back, given the lack of starting pitching on the market.
Hoffman would be well worth the $2.1 million for next season. He was not on the Opening Day roster but was added in May when the Phillies had to decide whether to add him to the 26-man roster or risk losing him if the right-hander opted out of his minor league deal. The club must be happy with their decision as he posted a 2.41 ERA over 52 1/3 innings. It may not be surprising to see him ask for a bit more, considering he could be used in more high-leverage roles in 2024 than he saw last season. He established himself as a reliable bullpen arm that the Phillies can trust going forward.
Soto had some really good outings and some really bad outings. His track record as a closer and high-leverage pitcher could bring his asking price to that $4.9 million. If he can get his command in order, that would not be a bad price to pay for a quality left-hander to go with José Alvarado. Either way, the Phillies will bring Soto back — even if the money is a small point of contention.
Borderline players
Edmundo Sosa and Garrett Stubbs are players to whom the Phillies may extend offers. Sosa can offer a few timely hits but can also go through prolonged periods of inconsistency. His defense was also more suspect than it had been in years past. The sure-handed infielder struggled at third base when Bohm was playing first base, committing 11 errors in 82 games at the position.
Stubbs is a guy that everyone loves. Fans love his antics in the dugout and the clubhouse and players love the personality he brings to the team. The issue is that the backup catcher's impressive 2022 season was not replicated in 2023. Stubbs is a career .220 hitter, but he hit well below that number this past season (.204).
The advantage that Stubbs has is that he backs up J.T. Realmuto, who plays more games than any other catcher in baseball, so he doesn't have to be as productive as other backup catchers. He also comes at a relatively low price, which could persuade the Phillies to bring him back. Much of the club's decision will likely stem from whether they believe Rafael Marchan is ready to back up in the big leagues.
Unlikely to be brought back
Dylan Covey and Jake Cave are unlikely to be brought back. Covey struggled when first acquired in May and June but found his rhythm in the summer months. While Covey pitched better than many would lead you to believe, his role is replaceable. He was mainly used in low-leverage situations such as spot starts and bullpen mop-up duty. The Phillies may be able to find someone on a minor league contract or someone from within the system to take over that role.
Cave is another player who could likely be replaced by a player on a minor league deal who could later be called up or by someone from within the organization. Cave's outfield versatility and the fact that he bats left-handed are the two factors he brings to the table. He had a few games in the spring in which he showed some promise but ultimately faltered and was not really a factor down the stretch.