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.