Phillies Rumors: Team has talked to Scott Boras about Juan Soto

Keep track of all of the latest offseason trade and free agency rumors pertaining to the Phillies on Phillies Nation.

Wednesday, Nov. 27: Phillies have talked to Scott Boras about Juan Soto, per Todd Zolecki

The last 48 hours have been filled with various reports on where the Juan Soto sweepstakes currently stand. On the most recent episode of “The Phillies Show,” Todd Zolecki of MLB.com offered some insight on the Phillies’ involvement in the whole thing.

“There’s a report from just a few days ago that the Phillies have not met with Juan Soto yet,” Zolecki said. “… But also that they have not even communicated at all with Scott Boras or anybody associated with Scott Boras. I’ve been told that — no surprise — they’ve communicated with Scott Boras about Juan Soto and others.”

Zolecki added: “They have not met with [Soto]. They expect to meet with him at some point. I don’t know when that will be.”

Zolecki’s comments come after USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reported on Monday the Phillies had not talked to Boras about Soto at all.

Another report regarding the Soto sweepstakes has listed clubs that have already made offers to Soto. On Tuesday, Randy Miller of NJ.com reported that five teams have done so. The Phillies are not one of the five. The Athletic’s Brandon Kuty added context to Miller’s report, noting offers for the 26-year-old will go through multiple rounds and the first round of offers is “preliminary.”

Kuty added the following rounds of offers could start to take place next week, potentially putting Soto’s signing time frame around “Winter Meetings-ish.” The Winter Meetings will take place from Dec. 9 to Dec. 12. — Bailey Digh

Tuesday, Nov. 26: Phillies ‘less inclined’ to trade Brandon Marsh, per Matt Gelb

You’ve heard it a million times. The Phillies are looking to shake things up. That could mean trading good major league players that are not signed to long-term contracts. Brandon Marsh has come up in trade rumors this offseason, but according to Matt Gelb on the “Phillies Therapy” podcast, the Phillies are less inclined to move off of Marsh for a few reasons:

The one thing I did hear recently — and I think this is pretty good information — is that they are less inclined to move Marsh. Marsh is a guy that’s not as available, I guess I would say, as some of the other guys. Not that they wouldn’t trade him if the right offer came around. That stands for everybody. I think he’s less among that group of guys that they are more active in trying to sell. … I think it’s more about the center field situation than anything. Obviously, there are no free agent center fielders and trading for a center fielder is probably, I don’t want to say impossible, but unwise given the value or the price that may be put on other center fielders. Their inclination to keep Marsh is more about the other center field options than anything. More than likely, barring a massive surprise, you’re probably looking at a Marsh/Rojas combo in center field with an upgrade in left, hypothetically.

Finding a center fielder in free agency is tough. Most early-career center fielders that reach the open market are probably more suited for a corner spot in the long run. The ones that do reach the market as true center fielders are typically glove-first players that are only marginally better than someone like Johan Rojas at the plate. Good defensive center fielders that can hit — think Mike Trout before the injuries — are superstars that are nearly impossible to acquire in trades. With that in mind, it’s easy to see why the Phillies prefer to hold on to Marsh.

Of the four players most frequently mentioned in trade talks, he’s probably ahead of both Alec Bohm and Nick Castellanos and behind only Ranger Suarez in terms of overall trade value. If the Phillies were to move Marsh, they better get a lot back. — Destiny Lugardo

Monday, Nov. 25 at 5:31 a.m. ET: Nightengale: Phillies, White Sox discuss Alec Bohm in Garrett Crochet trade talks

Could the Phillies trade Alec Bohm in a deal for White Sox starter Garrett Crochet? The two sides have discussed the All-Star third baseman in talks for the left-handed flamethrower, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today.

Nightengale reported that Philadelphia and Chicago have engaged about Bohm and Justin Crawford, a top prospect and former first-round pick, as part of “extensive trade talks” involving Crochet. That doesn’t mean a package of Bohm and Crawford will get a deal done, however.

Bohm’s dip in production late in the season is a concern for the White Sox, Nightengale noted, as the right-handed hitter ended the year with a poor second half and postseason. There’s a reason the Phillies have reportedly been exploring the idea of trading Bohm after all.

Nightengale also reported that Chicago “will definitely trade” Crochet this offseason following an All-Star 2024 campaign from the breakout lefty. Time will only tell if the Phillies will ultimately be a match. — Ty Daubert

Friday, Nov. 22 at 4:58 p.m. ET: Nick Castellanos available in trade talks, per The Athletic’s Matt Gelb

The Phillies are expected to shake things up this offseason, and Nick Castellanos is among the candidates to be involved: The Athletic‘s Matt Gelb reported on Friday that the team has made Castellanos available in trade talks. Gelb, though, noted that a trade would be unlikely lest the Phillies contribute significantly to the $40 million remaining across the final two years of his contract.

It’s not the first report that the club could move Castellanos, with Bob Nightengale reporting as much in November, but the Gelb report is a little more concrete. He also notes that the Phillies have put feelers out for interest in Alec Bohm and Ranger Suárez.

For all the well-documented struggles of the Phillies’ offense in the NLDS, Castellanos was one of the exceptions. He went 7-for-17 in October after being one of the Phillies’ most — and only — consistent hitters in the second half. It’s why it would make a Castellanos trade somewhat surprising. But the Phillies would be foolish not to at least listen on him. It appears they’re doing just that. — Nathan Ackerman

Thursday, Nov. 21 at 2:39 p.m. ET: Olney to 94 WIP: ‘I have no doubt’ Phillies are ‘going to get a star’

ESPN’s Buster Olney told SportsRadio94 WIP he’d bet the family farm that the Phillies are “going to get a star,” and that one rival general manager described the team as operating with a “World Series tilt.”

One candidate to be that star is Garrett Crochet, whose trade market Olney said the Phillies are “right in the middle of.” It’s far from the first time the club has been linked to the White Sox ace.

Another is Alex Bregman. A rival GM told Olney he could see the Phillies making a “lightning strike” on the veteran third baseman. That would seem to follow from a hypothetical Alec Bohm trade.

And then there’s Juan Soto, whose past relationship with Bryce Harper, as well as John Middleton’s with Scott Boras, Olney noted could get the Phillies into the mix. He did, however, seem skeptical the team would outbid those like the Mets, Yankees or Blue Jays.

Dave Dombrowski said after the Phillies’ NLDS exit he doesn’t believe the Phillies need another star. Time will tell whether that was anything more than lip service. — Nathan Ackerman

Tuesday, Nov. 19 at 12:13 p.m. ET: Kansas City has “checked in on” Alec Bohm, per MLB.com‘s Anne Rogers

The Kansas City Royals have considered Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm in their search for an offensive piece this offseason, according to MLB.com‘s Anne Rogers.

Kansas City has “checked in on” Bohm and Angels outfielder Taylor Ward, per Rogers, in addition to the club’s recent discussions on a potential trade for Cincinnati’s Jonathan India in exchange for pitcher Brady Singer that was first reported by C. Trent Rosecrans and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. No deal is close to happening at this point.

The Royals, an 86-win playoff team led by star shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. and a strong starting pitching staff, could use some improvement in their lineup. Third baseman Maikel Garcia had just a .614 OPS with seven home runs in 2024; Bohm, despite his second-half struggles and disappointing postseason, would offer an improvement. — Ty Daubert

Monday, Nov. 18 at 6:20 p.m. ET: Feinsand: Phillies could be “mystery team” meeting with Juan Soto

According to multiple reports, the Yankees, Mets, Blue Jays and Red Sox have all met with free agent outfielder Juan Soto and his agent Scott Boras in Southern California. MLB insider Mark Feinsand reported that the Dodgers are scheduled to meet with the slugger as early as Tuesday.

Feinsand also added that Soto “had spoken with at least one other team besides those that have been reported.” Could the Phillies be the “mystery team?” It’s possible, according to Feinsand.

According to sources, other teams that could meet with Soto include the Giants, Phillies and Rays. Tampa Bay would appear to be a long shot, particularly now that the club will be playing home games in 2025 at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Fla., following the damage to the Tropicana Field roof sustained last month during Hurricane Milton.

The Phillies meeting with Soto makes sense. John Middleton said during a recent event at the University of Pennsylvania that he believes Soto prefers to stay in New York, but he doesn’t mind being a “stalking horse.” — Destiny Lugardo

Thursday, Nov. 14: Olney: Rival executives believe Phillies will trade Alec Bohm

ESPN’s Buster Olney discussed the Alec Bohm trade market on the latest episode of the “Baseball Tonight” podcast.

What I’m hearing from other teams is yeah, he’s gonna be traded. Like he’s out there a bunch. And they say, you know, the Phillies have been around long enough that they can squash that if they wanted to. They can go out and whisper to reporters that Bohm’s not really available. They’re not doing that. So the assumption with other teams is that Bohm is going to be traded.

When Nick Castellanos’ name was out there as a possible trade candidate last season, Olney was the insider who reported via a Phillies source that the team wasn’t interesting in moving him. Back in 2020 before Dave Dombrowski was hired as president of baseball operations, Olney reported that the Phillies were “facing a financial crunch” and open to trade offers for Zack Wheeler. John Middleton and Andy MacPhail both responded to the report, saying it was “categorically untrue.”

Olney is right: The Phillies could kill any trade rumor they don’t like that pertains to one of their players on the major league roster. The fact that the noise around Bohm as a trade candidate continues to get louder indicates that Philadelphia has serious interest in moving the All-Star third baseman. — Destiny Lugardo

Tuesday, Nov. 12 at 9:51 p.m. ET : Olney: Rival evaluator predicts Phillies sign Alex Bregman

ESPN’s Buster Olney put out an interesting tweet on Tuesday night:

The most interesting prediction heard from a rival evaluator: The Phillies land Alex Bregman. His swing translates in that park, strong defense, lots of postseason scar tissue.

— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) November 13, 2024

Bregman could be a target if the Phillies trade Alec Bohm this offseason. The Phillies are looking to balance out their lineup and Bregman has a track record of being a patient hitter, though his walk rate declined dramatically from 12.7% in 2023 to 6.9% in 2024. He did receive a qualifying offer, so signing Bregman would cost the Phillies their second and fifth-highest selections in the 2026 MLB Draft along with one million in international bonus pool money.

The longtime Astros third baseman did win his first Gold Glove Award in 2024 and put up a third straight four-WAR season, according to FanGraphs. The left field wall at Citizens Bank Park isn’t quite as cozy as the Crawford Boxes, but the right-handed hitter’s swing should play well at Citizens Bank Park. Bregman would have been a perfect fit in the very early years of the Bank before the team moved the left field wall back five feet.

Houston are the favorites to re-sign him. Bregman to the Phillies seems unlikely, but it’s not a terrible idea. — Destiny Lugardo

Tuesday, Nov. 5: ESPN insiders discuss Phillies, Garrett Crochet

The Phillies, Dodgers and Braves all aggressively pursued White Sox ace Garrett Crochet at the trade deadline. According to a September story from ESPN’s Jesse Rogers and Buster Olney, “the Phillies turned down the White Sox’s request for top pitching prospect Andrew Painter as part of the package.” Crochet’s request to sign an extension in order to pitch in October also made things more complicated.

Could the Phillies renew their interest in Crochet this offseason? According to Jeff Passan, he could be on the move. Here’s what Olney and Passan had to say on the latest “Baseball Tonight” podcast.

Olney: I think he’s going to be the most talked about guy on the trade market. I think it’s a slam dunk that he’s going to be traded. Two teams that I’m watching in this are the Mets and the Red Sox. Tell me what you know about Garrett Crochet?

Passan: Will he move? Probably. Does he have to move? No, not necessarily. I think that Chris Getz, if he wanted to, the White Sox general manager, could theoretically wait until July. At which point, there are going to be no self-imposed restrictions on Garrett Crochet this year. But I think teams that are acquiring or trying to acquire Crochet, they know that he will sign an extension. And so the fact that that extension is potentially on the table, I think allows the White Sox to ask for even more than they would for a guy who showed himself to be a frontline starting pitcher last year. The only question at this point is can he repeat it? Somebody who has had elbow surgery and somebody who up until last year was a reliever, but he’s got the ability to go out and start games at the front of the rotation in the postseason. … The Mets could use him. The Red Sox could use him. The Orioles could use him. Everyone can use Garrett Crochet. I wonder about a team like the Phillies too.

Olney: As you know, the Phillies were one of the three finalists at the trade deadline.

Passan: Yup. Would the Phillies be willing, after what they saw from him in the Arizona Fall League, to trade Andrew Painter? I think if Andrew Painter is in the mix, then Garrett Crochet could be a Phillie. We have seen situations in the past where Dave Dombrowski has not had issue trading top prospects to go and get elite players.

Painter, who has a 2.08 ERA in five starts in the AFL, is the Phillies’ top prospect. Dombrowski told reporters at the GM meetings that the team is open to adding a fifth starter to eat innings with Painter expected to be on some sort of a limit in 2025. It’s hard to envision the Phillies including Painter in any type of trade this offseason, but if the Phillies really do covet Crochet, they might have to pay an uncomfortable price. — Destiny Lugardo

Monday, Nov. 4 at 3:32 p.m. ET: Nightengale: Phillies listening on Nick Castellanos, Alec Bohm and Brandon Marsh

USA Today baseball columnist Bob Nightengale wrote an article on MLB storylines to follow ahead of the GM Meetings in San Antonio. One of those is the Phillies and their quest to shake the lineup up.

Here’s what Nightengale had to say about the Phillies’ plans.

The Phillies can’t believe they don’t have a ring in the Bryce Harper era, and after knocking on the door the past few years, they are willing to make a huge move to change their fate. Dave Dombrowski, president of baseball operations, has not internally discussed pursuing Soto with his staff but is painfully aware they need to shake up their lineup. Simply, scouts say, they’re just too easy to pitch to come crunchtime with their big swingers and contact-challenged hitters. If someone needs a slugger like Nick Castellanos, or outfield help in Brandon Marsh, or third baseman Alec Bohm, the Phillies are listening.

This is the third straight offseason in which Castellanos has been involved in some sort of trade rumor. A source told MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand in November 2023 around the GM meetings that the Phillies were open to the idea of trading Castellanos. A Phillies source later told ESPN’s Buster Olney that the team was not interested in moving Castellanos.

There is a huge difference between listening on offers for players and actively trying to move them. This is not to suggest that the Phillies are looking to get rid Castellanos, Marsh or Bohm. However, in an offseason where the Phillies could look to move players around to get a more balanced lineup, it makes sense to gauge early trade interest from other clubs. — Destiny Lugardo

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