The Philadelphia Phillies are attempting to determine how they’ll recover from the hump and win a World Sequence championship.
After being two wins away within the Fall Traditional again in 2022, they’ve gotten additional and additional away every marketing campaign with a surprising elimination within the NLCS final 12 months and a disappointing defeat in opposition to the New York Mets this season.
Followers have dreamt concerning the Phillies reuniting celebrity Juan Soto with Bryce Harper and Trea Turner, and based mostly on a report from a distinguished baseball insider, it looks as if the entrance workplace and possession group are really contemplating that concept.
Whereas this would definitely make large waves throughout Main League Baseball, there are nonetheless issues that president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski has to take into consideration earlier than deciding to make this a actuality.
Listed here are how issues may affect Philadelphia going ahead.
First, the defensive place for Soto must be discovered with Nick Castellanos manning proper discipline the place he seemingly would stay if the Phillies had been capable of signal the phenom.
The excellent news is Soto has expertise in left discipline, taking part in 460 video games there in comparison with the 446 he is performed in proper. Throughout his time with the San Diego Padres, he was primarily utilized in left discipline, which aligned with how he was used when he was a part of the Washington Nationals. Actually, this season with the New York Yankees was essentially the most video games he is performed in proper discipline throughout his profession.
All of that’s to say there would not be a studying curve for him if he had been to be added.
That may additionally create a platoon for Brandon Marsh and Johan Rojas in middle discipline, permitting Philadelphia to make use of the left-handed hitting March in favorable matchups, whereas additionally giving Rojas some extra time to develop on the plate which he desperately wants.
Right here is the place issues may get fascinating.
Supervisor Rob Thomson has cherished to make use of Kyle Schwarber within the leadoff spot, and whereas that seemingly will not change, the addition of Soto may significantly affect the remainder of the lineup.
If he hits second behind Schwarber, that may maintain Bryce Harper within the third spot with two on-base machines hitting forward of him. If the Phillies maintain onto Alec Bohm, he may very well be within the cleanup spot the place he produced his second 12 months in a row with 97 RBI. Castellanos may very well be an possibility there as properly, with Trea Turner dropping within the order to offer this lineup extra pop and hitting means in the midst of the lineup that has clearly been missing.
That would go away J.T. Realmuto, Bryson Stott and both Marsh or Rojas to fill out the ultimate three spots, making a backend of the order that may produce in its personal proper.
The probabilities that may come from including Soto is frightening for any opposing pitching employees.
That is what Dombrowski has to weigh.
If Philadelphia can add Soto, signing him is a no brainer, however that additionally creates another selections they must make when placing collectively a 26-man roster.
First, there are 9 arbitration eligible gamers. Austin Hays, who they acquired on the deadline, is the apparent non-tender candidate since there would not be a transparent place for him barring the Phillies demoting Rojas.
Weston Wilson, who broke out this previous season, may very well be used within the infield rotation, however that impacts one other arbitration eligible participant in Edmundo Sosa, and Kody Clemens, who’s out of choices and would wish to remain within the Main League image for all the 12 months or else he could be topic to a waiver declare.
None of that ought to detract from their willingness so as to add Soto, however it’s one thing that may go into the choice making of Philadelphia.