The Philadelphia Phillies are being predicted to lose out to an National League rival in MLB free agency.
The Philadelphia Phillies seem to be actively searching for another bat in MLB free agency, and right now, Bo Bichette appears to be in their crosshairs.
The Phillies re-signed Kyle Schwarber, but outside of taking a one-year flier on Adolis Garcia, they have yet to add any other significant position players this offseason.
That could change if Philadelphia is able to land Bichette, who is rumored to be asking for a $300 million contract and would cost the Phillies a pair of draft picks and some international bonus pool money if they sign him.
Will Bichette actually land $300 million? Probably not, but considering that 31-year-old Alex Bregman just landed $35 million annually over five years, Bichette, 27, may be able to land a deal worth in the neighborhood of $250-275 million spread out over eight years.
While Philadelphia is viewed as the frontrunner, Aaliyan Mohammed of Newsweek feels that another contender may emerge for Bichette's services: the San Francisco Giants.
In fact, Mohammed is predicting that the Giants will snatch Bichette on a seven-year, $225 million contract.
Bo Bichette. Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images."Bichette would fill a huge need at second base for the Giants, and Posey has shown he's not scared to spend," Mohammed wrote. "The Giants already have a shortstop in Adames, but many experts think Bichette is better suited to play second base. He is one of the worst defensive shortstops in baseball, but when he played second base in the World Series, he looked fine."
Bichette slashed .311/.357/.483 with 18 home runs and 94 RBI over 628 plate appearances with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2025. Since entering the big leagues in 2019, he owns an .806 OPS.
Yes, the two-time All-Star comes with some serious defensive deficiencies, but at this point, it seems like the Phillies just want to add some offense alongside of Schwarber and Bryce Harper.
The problem is that Philly was just hit with a $56 million luxury tax bill, so there is no question that the organization is monitoring its spending.
Would Philadelphia be willing to pay $32 million per year over seven seasons for a bad defensive player? It remains to be seen.
The Phillies have won 95-plus games in back-to-back campaigns, but they were also eliminated in the NLDS both years. Changes need to be made.
Whether or not Philadelphia forks over the cash is the question.