Since the Philadelphia Phillies failed to sign Japanese pitching sensation Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Dave Dombrowski, the team’s president of baseball operations, has discussed “nibbling on the edges” of free agency.
One baseball insider, at the very least, is inclined to trust him.
Bob Nightengale of USA Today offered ten predictions for the remainder of free agency on Sunday. One involved the Phillies.
His forecast was straightforward: he believes the Phillies won’t make any major moves prior to Spring Training in Florida.
In fairness, the Phillies have already executed their major free-agent deal, bringing in starter Aaron Nola for a whopping $172 million over seven years. The Phillies are now the second-highest paying team in free agency with that contract alone. The Los Angeles Dodgers, who signed Yamamoto and have already spent over $1 billion in free agency, are undoubtedly the best team.
In spite of their hopes to reach agreements with players eligible for arbitration this week and close some lower-level deals, Nightengale thinks the Phillies are turning inward as their pitchers and catchers get ready to report in early January.
Before opening day, the Philadelphia Phillies will use every effort to secure an agreement for star player Zack Wheeler and, most likely, Bryce Harper as well. However, they feel that neither Josh Hader nor Blake Snell, who are free agents, fit within their club and will not receive an offer. They want to remain mostly inactive until the trade deadline of July 30. After that, they promise to do every effort to break their World Series drought.
In addition, the Phillies have a number of elite pitching prospects in their farm system, such as Griff McGarry and Nick Abel. Andrew Painter, their top prospect, underwent Tommy John surgery last year, thus he won’t be ready until 2025. That may be the cause of the hesitation to sign a talent such as Snell.
With the addition of infielders Alec Bohm and Edmundo Sosa, pitchers Ranger Suarez, Gregory Soto, and Jeff Hoffman, the Phillies still have five players eligible for arbitration.
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