3 Phillies Juan Soto backup plans for when they inevitably whiff

The Philadelphia Phillies are expected to be on the shortlist of teams in the running for top-billed free agent Juan Soto this winter. It sure seems like the four-time All-Star is heading for the World Series on the back of a historic regular season, so the bidding ought to be competitive. Soto is a truly special offensive talent at just 25 years old, and there is even speculation that his next contract could surpass Shohei Ohtani's $700 million megadeal for the most lucrative in MLB history.

Of course the Phillies, who need outfield help in the worst of ways, would benefit from Soto's arrival. John Middleton has never been afraid to burn cash on stars and Dave Dombrowski has made his career off of bold and unexpected big-name acquisitions. But even the spendiest teams run out of cap space (or cap tolerance) eventually, and the Phillies are already laying the groundwork of excuses necessary to move on from Soto when the moment arrives and the bidding gets too high. It's hard to imagine Philadelphia shelling out $700 million-plus on a new outfielder when Dombrowski is saying stuff like this.

He's right on a certain level — Philadelphia can match star-for-star with any team — but the Phillies shouldn't shy away from pushing the envelope. In baseball, star power is always helpful. Soto won't prevent Philadelphia's other stars from getting their hacks at the plate. He would simply elevate a position of weakness to the highest of highs.

That said, it's clear Dombrowski won't shell out the necessary capital for Soto. The right fielder is going to the Yankees or the Mets and fans should all mentally prepare for either outcome. Still, the fact remains that the Phils need an outfield upgrade from somewhere, and the free-agent and trade market are ripe with compelling options.

Here are a few particularly compelling possibilities.

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3. Tyler O'Neill can mash left-handed pitching, which the Phillies need

The Phillies' trade deadline was rife with promise, but Dombrowski underdelivered at the buzzer. He landed Austin Hays for cheap from Baltimore, which made sense as a left-field platoon option opposite Brandon Marsh. In the end, however, Hays was either hurt or plain ineffective down the stretch. His presence in October was decidedly muted.

Outfield depth remains the No. 1 area of concern for the Phillies this winter. Obviously Soto is the dream solution, but there are less flashy names who can render a profound impact, too. Tyler O'Neill is one of them. He's a slugging righty who goes to town on left-handed pitching, the ideal counterweight in an outfield that will still feature Brandon Marsh in 2025.

O'Neill posted a 1.179 OPS against southpaws this season for the Boston Red Sox. He finished his first (and potentially only) campaign in Boston with a .241/.336/.511 line and 31 home runs in 411 ABs. That is what the Phillies are lacking in the second half of their lineup, especially if Alec Bohm and JT Realmuto are liable to go M.I.A. in October. Nick Castellanos isn't exactly a spring chicken either. O'Neill, at 29, could profile as a four- or five-year staple in the Phillies lineup.

The Red Sox presumably want him back, but O'Neill should fall within the Phillies' price range — even if Dombrowski is shying away from his more aggressive tendencies. Assuming his health holds up, it's hard to imagine a better Soto backup plan on the free-agent market. But, if we must...

2. Anthony Santander could follow up his career-best season with the Phillies

Anthony Santander is coming off the best season of his career for the Baltimore Orioles. He slashed .235/.308/.506 with 44 home runs and 102 RBI, earning his first All-Star bid at 29 years old. Now he's a free agent, so the well-timed breakout should lead to a healthy new paycheck. Baltimore is a small market that will have its hands full trying to re-sign Corbin Burnes — not to mention the deluge of quality hitting prospects coming up through the farm system. That means Santander probably lands with another team.

There are concerns with the fit. Santander plays primarily right field and he's not great with his glove. Nick Castellanos is posted up comfortably as the Phillies' right fielder these days and he, too, struggles in the field. The DH slot belongs to Kyle Schwarber, so Philadelphia would need to be comfortable starting Casty and Santander together, in right and left, on a regular basis.

A switch-hitter, Santander faired better against righties than lefties last season. He's still better than Marsh or Johan Rojas when it comes to hitting southpaws, but Santander is not on the same level as O'Neill in that respect. With so much focus on negating Marsh's primary flaw, there could be reason enough to steer away from Santander.

In the end, though, if Philadelphia can add 40+ home runs and a healthy dose of walks to its lineup, that is a win. Santander isn't the exact kind of hitter the Phillies need, but he's a game-changer all the same.

1. Phillies can finally trade for Luis Robert Jr. to take advantage of tanking White Sox

The Phillies were heavily connected to Chicago White Sox centerfielder Luis Robert Jr. at the trade deadline, but Chicago clung tight to its All-Star in the end. That decision left folks puzzled, and set up renewed trade buzz for this offseason. Robert is bound to command interest from across the league. His contract includes $20 million club options for 2026 and 2027, which guarantees Philadelphia three years of team control and ample flexibility.

Robert struggled mightily in 2024. A hip injury held him out early in the campaign and the 27-year-old never fully recovered, slashing .224/.278/.379 with 14 home runs in 393 ABs. That said, Robert is due for a bounce back. He's a year removed from an All-Star bid, a Silver Slugger award and 38 home runs en route to a 12th-place finish in American League MVP voting. If Robert gets back to that level after a full offseason of training and rehab, he's the sort of cleanup bat that can change the fortunes of a contender.

Philadelphia would gleefully plug Robert into centerfield and end the torturous Johan Rojas experiment. He's not quite on Rojas' level defensively, but Robert won the Gold Glove as a rookie and finished this season in the 75th percentile for defenders (one out above average). He's a phenomenal athlete in every respect, offering speed on the base paths, a rangy defensive presence at a critical position and rare power at the plate.

Trading for Robert would require a hefty prospect haul going back to Chicago, but he's more affordable in the immediate future than either Santander or O'Neill, which could swing Dombrowski and the front office in this direction. And hey, he's definitely cheaper than Juan Soto.