Headlines

  • Astros Place Jeremy Peña On Injured List With Fractured Rib
  • Reds Release Jeimer Candelario
  • Dave Parker Passes Away
  • Griffin Canning Diagnosed With Ruptured Achilles
  • Pirates Reportedly Have Very Few Untouchable Players At Trade Deadline
  • Griffin Canning Believed To Have Suffered Achilles Injury
  • Previous
  • Next
Register
Login
  • Hoops Rumors
  • Pro Football Rumors
  • Pro Hockey Rumors

MLB Trade Rumors

Remove Ads
  • Home
  • Teams
    • AL East
      • Baltimore Orioles
      • Boston Red Sox
      • New York Yankees
      • Tampa Bay Rays
      • Toronto Blue Jays
    • AL Central
      • Chicago White Sox
      • Cleveland Guardians
      • Detroit Tigers
      • Kansas City Royals
      • Minnesota Twins
    • AL West
      • Houston Astros
      • Los Angeles Angels
      • Oakland Athletics
      • Seattle Mariners
      • Texas Rangers
    • NL East
      • Atlanta Braves
      • Miami Marlins
      • New York Mets
      • Philadelphia Phillies
      • Washington Nationals
    • NL Central
      • Chicago Cubs
      • Cincinnati Reds
      • Milwaukee Brewers
      • Pittsburgh Pirates
      • St. Louis Cardinals
    • NL West
      • Arizona Diamondbacks
      • Colorado Rockies
      • Los Angeles Dodgers
      • San Diego Padres
      • San Francisco Giants
  • About
    • MLB Trade Rumors
    • Tim Dierkes
    • Writing team
    • Advertise
    • Archives
  • Contact
  • Tools
    • 2025 Trade Deadline Outlook Series
    • 2025-26 MLB Free Agent List
    • Contract Tracker
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Agency Database
  • NBA/NFL/NHL
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors
  • App
  • Chats
Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Phillies Plan To Meet With Juan Soto

By Mark Polishuk | November 19, 2024 at 11:28am CDT

Juan Soto’s tour through free agency has thus far taken him to meetings with the Yankees, Mets, Red Sox, and Blue Jays, with another meeting set for later today between Soto’s camp and Dodgers brass.  Another big-market team can be added to the mix, as the New York Post’s Jon Heyman (via X) writes that the Phillies also intend to sit down with the free agent slugger, though a meeting isn’t yet known to be officially scheduled.

It comes as no shock that the Phils will at least check in on the market for another big name, as ownership and president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski haven’t been shy about courting and signing superstar free agents.  Bryce Harper and Trea Turner are two of those stars, and it is fair to assume that Harper and Turner have exchanged a few texts and calls with their former Nationals teammate Soto about a reunion in Philadelphia.

Earlier this month, Phillies chairman John Middleton acknowledged that his team would be involved in the Soto sweepstakes to some degree, though Middleton was rather candid in his evaluation of Soto’s market.  Middleton felt “Soto wants to be in New York, and I don’t mind being a stalking horse.  At some point, if Dave and I get that feeling, we’ll probably say, ’You know what, we’re not going to win this’ because we’ve both been the stalking horse before.”

This hints that the Phillies aren’t planning quite as pitched a pursuit as other suitors in the race, though it costs the Phils nothing to meet with Soto and agent Scott Boras to access the situation.  Just in case other teams don’t meet Soto’s asking price or some other obstacle arises, Philadelphia could position itself as a fallback option that still checks a lot of boxes on Soto’s presumed wish list, as the Phillies are a consistent contender who should remain in the playoff hunt for some time to come.

Signing Soto to a record contract would further elevate the Phillies’ already-large payroll.  As per RosterResource, Philadelphia has an approximate $269MM payroll and a $288MM tax number for 2025 even before any significant offseason moves have been made, so adding Soto would send the Phillies far beyond the highest tax penalty tier of $301MM.  Since the Phillies have made luxury-tax payments in each of the last three seasons, they already face an increased price tag for any further overages, so signing Soto would essentially come at twice the cost of his actual salary.

Middleton might not necessarily mind at least a one-year splurge, since Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto are free agents next winter, and thus represent some significant money coming off the Phillies’ books.  Ideally, the Phils would probably love to free up money this winter by moving at least one of Nick Castellanos or Taijuan Walker, though that is much easier said that done since both players have negligible trade value.

If Soto was signed and Castellanos stayed put, the two would handle the corner outfield positions in some fashion while Brandon Marsh and Johan Rojas became a center field platoon.  This wouldn’t be an ideal arrangement from a glovework perspective, yet the Phillies probably wouldn’t mind a defensive step backwards if it meant putting Soto’s power bat into the lineup.

Share 0 Retweet 0 Send via email0

Philadelphia Phillies Juan Soto

Brewers Add Logan Henderson, Chad Patrick To 40-Man Roster
Main
Nationals Add Robert Hassell III, Andry Lara To 40-Man Roster
View Comments (66)
Post a Comment

66 Comments

  1. VermonsterSD

    7 months ago

    Lol, Boras gotta cover all the big spenders, don’t leave anyone out…..

    2
    Reply
    • RobM

      7 months ago

      I predict the meeting will go well, which will be reported by unnamed sources. Jon Heyman, Boras’s preferred “insider” to leak news, said earlier today that so far no team has made financial offers, and that these are just the initial get-to-know-each-other meetings. That contradicts the report that the Mets already have a $660 million offer on the table, This is all Boras building a market. Did the Yankees and Soto need a get-to-know-each-other meeting? No, but they had to pay homage as part of the process.

      3
      Reply
      • YankeesBleacherCreature

        7 months ago

        Yes. Soto met Hal once during the summer. Cashman is pretty much hands-off with the roster except for Judge and Cole.

        1
        Reply
    • Doghockey

      7 months ago

      Yeah, a guy doing his job and doing it well. Nothing gets past you.

      1
      Reply
  2. baseballpun

    7 months ago

    It would be funny if Harper, Turner and Soto all ended up on the Phillies.

    2
    Reply
    • VonPurpleHayes

      7 months ago

      And Schwarber too. A rental National, but a National nonetheless.

      1
      Reply
      • YankeesBleacherCreature

        7 months ago

        Gotta make room for Max then too.

        Reply
      • onthebucks

        7 months ago

        von, And Schwarber too, by all means. Let’s not forget a guy who makes $20 million a year batting 4 or 5 times a game without having to play defense, and a guy who gets to hit in a state-of-the-art batting cage between innings with a hitting coach by his side and a complete video library to help guide his swing. $20 million a year for a sub – .250 batting average, 200+ annual strikeouts, and 38 home runs – most of which did not contribute materially or significantly to the outcome of any game. Let’s also not forget his exclusive privilege of being the team’s only leadoff hitter – the one player who gets to take his best swing at a grooved fast ball the starting pitcher is trying to get over the plate to begin the game – not just occasionally, but every game of the year.

        1
        Reply
        • VonPurpleHayes

          7 months ago

          Sounds like you’re a Schwarber fan.

          1
          Reply
        • onthebucks

          7 months ago

          von, Schwarber is probably a good guy, and he can certainly hit home runs as far as anyone currently in baseball. But, honestly, I’ve never seen him as a good fit with the Phils. I think they would be much better off with a rotating DH by committee that would allow all the older players the chance to get a day off every week defensively but still be able to hit on a daily basis. The Phils think they have money to burn, but I’ve always seen Schwarber as a luxury the team couldn’t afford. In 2025, the Phils would probably do a lot better by trading Schwarber and applying his $20 million toward an all-star caliber outfielder and closer.

          1
          Reply
        • Johnny Devil

          7 months ago

          Wrong

          Reply
        • onthebucks

          7 months ago

          johnny, As the Zen Master says, “We’ll see!”

          1
          Reply
        • BurnerK

          6 months ago

          You sound like a broken record. Do you copy and paste this every chance you can?

          Reply
    • onthebucks

      7 months ago

      pun, The past being prologue, there’s no reason to believe the same tandem that couldn’t win a championship in Washington when they were young and hungry could win one in Philly when they’re old and too rich to worry about outcomes. And don’t forget, the Nationals won the world series immediately after Harper left the team.

      1
      Reply
      • VonPurpleHayes

        7 months ago

        If Harper stayed on the team they would’ve won by a larger margin. That team was super talented and got going at the right time. The idea that Harper somehow made them worse is such ridiculous fan fiction. Harper has been an absolute stud for the Phillies, but it takes more than one, and it takes a lot to win the big one.

        2
        Reply
        • onthebucks

          7 months ago

          von, The Nationals were going nowhere until Harper left the team. Them winning by a larger margin with Harper still on board is wishful thinking, even for a dyed-in-the-wool fan such as yourself. I agree that Harper has been an asset to the Phils. Watching him play on a daily basis, I don’t think there is a player that works harder than him or can match him at the plate in clutch situations.

          1
          Reply
        • VonPurpleHayes

          7 months ago

          They were a team full of stars who got hot at the right time. Absolutely would have happened with Harper still there.

          The Phillies made the playoffs 3 times since the Nats WS. Nats haven’t made it once.

          The entire premise is stupid.

          1
          Reply
        • onthebucks

          7 months ago

          von, Vision is always 20/20 through the lens of the retrospectoscope.

          1
          Reply
        • lemonlyman

          7 months ago

          Yeah Bryce Harper and his career 1.016 postseason OPS surely would have dragged the Nats down.

          Soto had just come up the season Harper was allowed to walk, and the Nats needed pitching. Why would they spend $25MM on an outfielder when they had the best OF prospect debut and look like a stud at 19 and needed pitching desperately?

          Reply
  3. twozero6ix

    7 months ago

    We all know he’s going to sign with the Rockies, he just being respectful to the other teams

    4
    Reply
  4. This one belongs to the Reds

    7 months ago

    Ding! Ding! Ding!

    Called it.

    Reply
    • VonPurpleHayes

      7 months ago

      Of course they’re meeting with him. That means very little. This guy is going to NY.

      1
      Reply
  5. VonPurpleHayes

    7 months ago

    Phillies have a great relationship with Boras, and they’re doing their due diligence, but this seems like a huge longshot to me.

    Soto has a great relationship with Turner, Harper, Schwarber and Long, but I don’t see the Phillies offering more money than the Mets and Soto has already established himself for the Yanks. I think it comes down to the two NY teams.

    4
    Reply
    • Acoss1331

      7 months ago

      Phillies owner mentioned that he basically knows Soto is just using them for leverage in negotiations with the two New York teams. Middleton is just playing along, smart man.

      1
      Reply
      • VonPurpleHayes

        7 months ago

        Yes exactly. It’s quoted in this very article.

        2
        Reply
    • Johnny Devil

      7 months ago

      I like the fact we are in the hunt von purple Hayes. Middleton is willing to pay Soto, the point is, does Soto want to play in Philly.

      1
      Reply
      • VonPurpleHayes

        7 months ago

        I think Soto would gladly play in any big market that pays him.

        3
        Reply
  6. panj341

    7 months ago

    Another free lunch

    3
    Reply
    • NYCityRiddler

      7 months ago

      Phillies are hitting the drive thru on the way to Soto’s place, “Hey, look what we brought ya!” Ahahahaha!

      1
      Reply
  7. Fooque2

    7 months ago

    Bryce is gonna be cool with Soto doubling his salary? And Turner?

    Reply
    • VonPurpleHayes

      7 months ago

      Yes he would be, but it still doesn’t matter. Soto is choosing between two NY teams.

      Reply
    • padam

      7 months ago

      He’s going to do it anyway, so why not with them.

      1
      Reply
    • RobM

      7 months ago

      Yes. Players know they have their shot at free agency and they have to negotiate the best deal based on the market at the time. Future salaries will be higher for other stud players. Aaron Judge, for example, is not going to be unhappy if Soto blows past his AAV. He’ll be happy to have him back as a teammate, all while pushing overall salaries for players higher. Harper will be happy to call Soto a teammate, although I don’t see it happening.

      3
      Reply
  8. Mr. McNasty

    7 months ago

    No team is going to outbid Steve Cohen for Soto. Good luck trying.

    Reply
    • VonPurpleHayes

      7 months ago

      Yup. I remember when the Mets got Yamamoto last year…

      4
      Reply
      • LordD99

        7 months ago

        It’s been reported a few times that Cohen has said he won’t be used just to drive up the price. He has to believe the player wants to come to the Mets. That’s why he stepped out of the Yamamoto negotiations despite having the initial best offer. I potentially see the same thing happening here. He’ll move on if he senses Soto’s goal is to return to the Yankees.

        2
        Reply
  9. Jerry Hairston Jr's Toupee

    7 months ago

    Soto’s a great hitter, but his defense, marketability and leadership don’t move the needle enough to justify more than half he’s actually gonna get from one of the New York boneheads….

    1
    Reply
    • VonPurpleHayes

      7 months ago

      What’s wrong with his leadership?

      Reply
      • Jerry Hairston Jr's Toupee

        7 months ago

        He’s a support guy. Teo Hernandez not as good a hitter, but his personality & clubhouse presence for like a fraction of the price….

        Reply
        • VonPurpleHayes

          7 months ago

          Says who? This is fan gossip.

          1
          Reply
        • Jerry Hairston Jr's Toupee

          7 months ago

          Just watch in the dugout and on the field, man. It’s called scouting….

          Reply
        • VegasMoved

          7 months ago

          “It’s called scouting.”

          I don’t like this guy’s body language, he must be a bad teammate. Trust me, I’m a scout, bro.

          1
          Reply
      • Samuel

        7 months ago

        VonPurpleHayes;

        Of course we fans don’t know.

        But players on this years Padres have said that the attitudes regarding the approach of the team changed in 2024 from 2023. There was more of a priority towards fundamental team baseball and regard for wins, and less about personal statistics.

        More than one player noted the major catalysts for the change in attitude were: 1) Mike Schildt brought in as the manager; and 2) Juan Soto being traded.

        Reply
    • RobM

      7 months ago

      His marketability is quite high. At his age, he’s one of the more bankable players in the game not named Ohtani or Judge or a couple others, especially in a market like NY with a heavy Dominican population. All reports indicate he’s a model teammate.

      2
      Reply
      • Jerry Hairston Jr's Toupee

        7 months ago

        Never said he’s a clubhouse cancer, bro….

        Reply
        • RobM

          7 months ago

          Never mentioned “clubhouse cancer” in my response, bro…

          Reply
      • Jerry Hairston Jr's Toupee

        7 months ago

        Soto’s the Dominican Ohtani. But you gotta adjust for GDP….

        Reply
      • Informed Sportsball Discussion

        7 months ago

        I’M NOT YOUR BUDDY, GUY.

        Reply
  10. AC Surf Baseball

    7 months ago

    Believe this is more than due diligence. The Phillies will make a competitive offer. They are most likely going to trade Alec Bohm (not sure how I feel about this) for a 9th inning arm. For that to happen, I think an agreement needs to be in place for Alex Bregman. There’s mutual interest there between player and club. Don’t think they’ll get Juan Soto, but do not be surprised to see them make that blockbuster trade for Mike Trout after Juan Soto signs his mega deal with the Yankees, Red Sox or Dodgers.

    Reply
    • fred-3

      7 months ago

      No team that plans on contending should be trading for Mike Trout in 2024.

      3
      Reply
    • LordD99

      7 months ago

      The Phillies likely prefer Soto goes back to the Yankees, but want to be in the negotiations in case he’s serious about the Mets.

      3
      Reply
      • Johnny Devil

        7 months ago

        Nonsense.

        Reply
    • Samuel

      7 months ago

      609Collectibles;

      I don’t know that any decent MLB FO trades a young, affordable
      All-Star 3B with 2 years of control “for a 9th inning arm”.

      9th inning arms often blow out from season to season. That can especially hurt if the 9th inning arm has a large contract…..and
      even more so if that contract is for multiple years.

      Reply
  11. brocnessmonster

    7 months ago

    Imagine if the Nats had used their World Series money to extend all their young guys like the Braves did

    Reply
    • Samuel

      7 months ago

      They extended Stephen Strasburg after the WS.

      Heck, he’ll be getting paid from then till 2029.

      Reply
      • brocnessmonster

        7 months ago

        Yup, just him. No Trea, Rendon, Harper, or Soto.

        Reply
  12. Enrico Pallazzo

    7 months ago

    Waiting for all the comments saying that this will ruin the sport and that mlb is broken and people vowing to completely quit watching. Oh wait nm, that’s only the opinion if it’s a team you actively hate. If it’s another high spending team then that’s totally cool and everything is fine.

    Reply
  13. dasit

    7 months ago

    imho this isn’t as much of a longshot as people seem to think. middleton is no dummy and his “stalking horse” line could be cover

    Reply
    • avenger65

      7 months ago

      dasir: I think Middleton pretty much said he’s got a limit and if some other owners, like Cohen, I suspect, want to offer a ridiculously high offer, Middleton is gonna just stop his pursuit of Soto. It’s like, which team wants to be the first to a $400M payroll?

      Reply
      • dasit

        7 months ago

        cohen is definitely the X factor. he could say screw it and offer 15/750 with money he finds in the couch

        Reply
  14. Jacksson13

    7 months ago

    Juan and his agent are also scheduled to meet with the TWINS,
    Taking place in MINNESOTO !!

    Reply
  15. Informed Sportsball Discussion

    7 months ago

    “…though it costs the Phils nothing to meet with Soto and agent Scott Boras to access the situation.”

    “Assess”, my good fellow.

    1
    Reply
  16. cencal

    7 months ago

    I can’t for the life of me see how Soto is worth 500-600 million.

    I am NOT on of these “athletes are overpaid” types. They aren’t for the most part. Sure, some become busts but overall, salary matches what they earn for the team.

    Saying that, Soto can hit and not much else. Even still, he’s not banging 70 HRs a year, even hitting in a little league stadium with the 2 time MVP behind him.

    Ohtani’s deal was like $430 million or something in today’s dollars and Soto is getting 600? Mookie’s deal with get doubled?

    Insane and dumb to me but oh well. Not my money

    2
    Reply
    • VonPurpleHayes

      7 months ago

      I think he’s worth a lot because he’s so young, but to your point, he’s pretty horrendous in the field. He’s virtually a DH. I think he’s a special hitter, arguable the best in the game, but 600 is a lot for a one-way player. I’d love him on my team, but I just don’t see it.

      2
      Reply
  17. VegasMoved

    7 months ago

    Could you imagine Soto, Harper, and Turner in the same lineup?

    Reply
  18. The Saber-toothed Superfife

    7 months ago

    Rumor is:
    He has chartered a private jet to….
    Toronto!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Please login to leave a reply.

Log in Register

    Top Stories

    Astros Place Jeremy Peña On Injured List With Fractured Rib

    Reds Release Jeimer Candelario

    Dave Parker Passes Away

    Griffin Canning Diagnosed With Ruptured Achilles

    Pirates Reportedly Have Very Few Untouchable Players At Trade Deadline

    Griffin Canning Believed To Have Suffered Achilles Injury

    Mariners Looking For Corner Infield Bats; Ownership Willing To Bump Payroll

    Wander Franco Found Guilty Of Sexual Abuse

    Mariners Place Rowdy Tellez On Release Waivers

    Max Meyer To Undergo Season-Ending Hip Surgery

    Whit Merrifield Announces Retirement

    White Sox Sign Noah Syndergaard To Minor League Deal

    Corbin Carroll Placed On IL With Wrist Fracture

    Hoops Rumors Has The Latest On NBA Draft, Free Agency

    Mets Option Francisco Alvarez

    Reds To Promote Chase Burns For MLB Debut

    A.J. Puk Undergoes Elbow Surgery; Gabriel Moreno Diagnosed With Fractured Finger

    Braves To Select Didier Fuentes

    Anthopoulos On Trading Chris Sale: “Will Not Happen”

    Rays Owner Stuart Sternberg In “Advanced” Talks To Sell Team

    Recent

    Yankees Select Geoff Hartlieb, Place Fernando Cruz On 15-Day IL

    Trade Deadline Outlook: Chicago White Sox

    Trade Rumors Front Office Subscriber Chat Today At 3:30pm CT

    Padres Designate Logan Gillaspie For Assignment

    Phillies Reinstate Bryce Harper, Designate Buddy Kennedy For Assignment

    Athletics Select Colby Thomas

    Astros Place Jeremy Peña On Injured List With Fractured Rib

    Submit Your Questions For This Week’s Episode Of The MLBTR Podcast

    Poll: Should The Pirates Trade Mitch Keller?

    The Opener: Brown, Waldron, Schmitt

    MLBTR Newsletter - Hot stove highlights in your inbox, five days a week

    Latest Rumors & News

    Latest Rumors & News

    • Sandy Alcantara Rumors
    • Luis Robert Rumors
    • Alex Bregman Rumors

     

    Trade Rumors App for iOS and Android App Store Google Play

    MLBTR Features

    MLBTR Features

    • Remove Ads, Support Our Writers
    • Front Office Originals
    • Front Office Fantasy Baseball
    • MLBTR Podcast
    • Trade Deadline Outlook Series
    • 2025-26 MLB Free Agent List
    • Contract Tracker
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Extension Tracker
    • Agency Database
    • MLBTR On Twitter
    • MLBTR On Facebook
    • Team Facebook Pages
    • How To Set Up Notifications For Breaking News
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors

    Rumors By Team

    • Angels Rumors
    • Astros Rumors
    • Athletics Rumors
    • Blue Jays Rumors
    • Braves Rumors
    • Brewers Rumors
    • Cardinals Rumors
    • Cubs Rumors
    • Diamondbacks Rumors
    • Dodgers Rumors
    • Giants Rumors
    • Guardians Rumors
    • Mariners Rumors
    • Marlins Rumors
    • Mets Rumors
    • Nationals Rumors
    • Orioles Rumors
    • Padres Rumors
    • Phillies Rumors
    • Pirates Rumors
    • Rangers Rumors
    • Rays Rumors
    • Red Sox Rumors
    • Reds Rumors
    • Rockies Rumors
    • Royals Rumors
    • Tigers Rumors
    • Twins Rumors
    • White Sox Rumors
    • Yankees Rumors

    Navigation

    • Sitemap
    • Archives
    • RSS/Twitter Feeds By Team

    MLBTR INFO

    • Advertise
    • About
    • Commenting Policy
    • Privacy Policy

    Connect

    • Contact Us
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • RSS Feed

    MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

    Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

    hide arrows scroll to top

    Register

    Desktop Version | Switch To Mobile Version