Phillies may have to wait out free-agent market to make certain moves

Alec Bohm is a trade candidate this offseason.(Grace Del Pizzo/Phillies Nation)

The Phillies are mulling over their options. With the front office aiming to improve the club’s big-league roster, running it back in 2025 like they did in 2024 doesn’t seem likely. There are different ways to upgrade the team. Free agency is one. Making trades is another. Both are on the table.

Leaving no stone unturned makes sense as president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski looks to thread a tight needle. He’s trying to not only help put together a roster that could hoist a trophy in 2025, but is also trying to keep the club’s competitive window open for 2026 and beyond.

Potential trades may not include multiple top prospects leaving the Phillies organization. Instead, big-league players could be on the move in exchange for other big-league players.

Alec Bohm and Ranger Suárez seem to be two players the Phillies are willing to trade for the right return. Bohm, 28, is coming off an All-Star season. His first- (.830 OPS) and second-half (.681 OPS) splits differed. The industry reportedly views him as a good-not-great player. Suárez is also coming off an All-Star season. Like Bohm, his start to the year was better than his finish. The left-hander is entering his age-29 season and is slated to be a free agent next winter.

A trade of Bohm or Suárez could happen at any time. But with big-name players still available on the free-agent market, the Phillies may have to wait things out for a bit. Especially if they’re not going to budge on their asking prices.

The Phillies have reportedly had trade conversations with the Seattle Mariners regarding Bohm. According to Adam Jude of the Seattle Times, the Phillies wanted one of Logan Gilbert or George Kirby in exchange for Bohm, a steep asking price the Mariners aren’t willing to pay at this point in the winter.

The Phillies want legitimate talent in exchange for Bohm. The same likely goes for Suárez. They have World Series aspirations for 2025; players that can contribute to such a goal can’t be given away for anything less than proven, big-league talent.

The free-agent market is filled with good hitters and good starting pitchers. Right now, the only clubs that may be interested in Bohm and Suárez are ones not looking to spend in free agency. That limits the market for either player. Once top free agents come off the board, the Bohm and Suárez markets could expand, giving the Phillies a bit more leverage in trade talks.

For example, if the Houston Astros can’t re-sign Alex Bregman, maybe Bohm will become an attractive player to them. If the Mariners can’t fill their hole at third base, maybe they resurrect trade talks for Bohm. A team looking to add a free-agent starting pitcher this winter could miss out on their top targets. Maybe that team then pivots to the trade market and becomes interested in Suárez.

One, both, or neither of Bohm and Suárez could be traded this offseason. The Phillies are weighing their options, and a lot of things are on the table. Given the potential asking price for either player, they may have to wait out the free-agent market before interested clubs are willing to pay such a price.

But the Phillies do have to be careful. Trading Bohm or Suárez later in the winter could mean there are fewer outside options left to replace them. It’s a tricky situation to be in.

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