The Philadelphia Phillies have already been busy this winter, and are hoping to add a few more free agents this offseason.
In the weeks before Christmas, children all over the world were filling out their wish lists to give to their parents. The Philadelphia Phillies have their own wish list of players they hope to sign.
J.T. Realmuto
You might be saying “thanks, Sherlock” (or something to that effect). Obviously, Realmuto is the Phillies’ top priority this winter and he might have just fallen back into their lap after the Mets signed James McCann.
The backstop has said he wants to be in Philadelphia, but he initially wanted $200 million. Due to COVID-19, there’s no guarantee he will even get more than half of that on a four- or five-year contract. The good news for fans is owner John Middleton brought in Dave Dombrowski to lead the front office and Middleton wouldn’t have done that if he was not going to spend money. Dombrowski announced on Tuesday that former major league outfielder Sam Fuld had been promoted to the role of general manager for the club.
Realmuto is the best catcher in baseball by far and there are no words to describe how valuable he will be to whichever team signs him. The Phillies just hope it’s them.
Liam Hendriks or Brad Hand
Philadelphia’s bullpen was atrocious last season and there is no doubt it was the main reason why they missed the postseason by one game.
The bullpen is not one arm away from being a reliable group of pitchers, but it would certainly help if they could get a bona fide closer to come in and finish games–something that rarely occurred in 2020.
Hand is a former All-Star and was put into the market after the Cleveland Indians declined to pay him $10 million this season. If the Phillies give him something close to that, there is no reason he would not want to head to the City of Brotherly Love.
Hendriks is going to cost more money, as he is coming off his win of the American League Reliever of the Year and is in the middle of his prime. The right-hander pitched to a 1.78 ERA in 2020 with 14 saves for the AL West Champion Oakland Athletics. MLB Trade Rumors projects him to get a $30 million deal over three seasons.
Andrelton Simmons
While the catching position is going to get a lot of the focus this winter, the Phillies are currently without a shortstop. Didi Gregorius signed only a one-year deal last season, so he is now a free agent.
Gregorius could come back to Citizens Bank Park but he would be far more expensive than Simmons as he is the better hitter. That does not mean that Simmons can’t provide some stability at the bottom of the order, as he hit .297 last year.
Not only is Simmons a better fit financially, but Joe Girardi would also have a four-time Gold Glove shortstop behind his pitchers every night. The Phillies are a team that needs great defense in any additions they make. The team already has plenty of offense in a lineup that includes Bryce Harper, Rhys Hoskins, Alec Bohm, Jean Segura, and Andrew McCutchen.
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