The Pink Sox made it again to the American League playoffs in 2025 after a four-year absence. Whereas the crew made important progress throughout the newest season, supervisor Alex Cora’s crew has a number of holes.
One of many largest is at first base. Because the season received underway, the Pink Sox had been hoping that Triston Casas would stand in and ship 35-40 residence runs and play an honest defensive first base. That hope turned out to be an enormous folly. Casas couldn’t keep wholesome as he tore his Achilles in Might and was misplaced for the season. Nonetheless, even earlier than his damage, he was having a tough begin to the season. He struggled on the plate, his energy was almost non-existent, his fielding was inconsistent and he was a legal responsibility on the bases.
He was changed by gamers like Romy Gonzalez, Abraham Toro and Nathan Lowe, and none of them had been capable of get the job performed successfully — though they had been all extra productive than Casas. If chief baseball officer Craig Breslow desires the Pink Sox to enhance, he has to go after a legit first baseman. Maybe Bryce Harper can be inside his sights.
The Pink Sox need to make a transfer at this place within the offseason. Casas has missed an excessive amount of time over the previous two season to be thought-about something greater than a query mark, and which may be giving him the good thing about the doubt. Toro was let go earlier than the tip of the season and Lowe had been launched earlier than the Pink Sox picked him up. Gonzalez is a effective utility participant who can fill in at various positions, however first base shouldn’t be his greatest place.
Harper gives clutch hitting, toughness and management
Harper has been a key participant for the Phillies since they acquired him in 2019. He’s now a 14-year veteran who has performed 7 years with each the Washington Nationals and Phillies.
He was a phenom when he got here into the Nationwide League as a 19-year-old with the Nationals, and he made the All-Star crew in his first two seasons. Nonetheless, he got here into his personal within the 2015 season when he slashed .330./460/.649 with a career-best 42 residence runs and 99 runs batted in. His efficiency allowed him to win the MVP Award for the primary time in his profession.
He would win it once more in 2021 with the Phillies. He had very good manufacturing at Residents Financial institution Ballpark by slashing .309/.429/.614 with 42 doubles, 35 residence runs and 84 RBI.
Harper has made the Nationwide League All-Star crew eight occasions, together with his final choice coming in 2024. He slashed .285/.373/.525 with 30 residence runs and 87 RBI that season, and that is simply what the Pink Sox would wish to see from Harper if they can purchase him.
Phillies have Harper below contract, however have a number of free brokers
The Philadelphia first baseman is slated to earn $27.5 million in 2026 (per Spotrac) and he has 5 extra years left on his contract after subsequent season. Whereas he’s a significant asset for the Phillies, they’ve fairly a little bit of offseason work to do since designated hitter Kyle Schwarber, catcher J.T. Realmuto and star left-handed pitcher Ranger Suarez are all headed without cost company.
President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski has to determine who he’s going to attempt to make important gives to after the World Sequence concludes.
It will be tough to see the Phillies failing to ship main gives to any of these key gamers, and which will imply that one other high-priced participant like Harper can be traded.
Pink Sox should make Phillies a major commerce supply
Whereas Casas has been damage susceptible for the Pink Sox, there may be little doubt that he has a house run swing when he’s wholesome. Casas hit 24 residence runs and drove in 65 runs within the 2023 season, and Dombrowski must imagine he’s able to constructing off that complete.
No one is suggesting that Casas can be sufficient to entice the Phillies to commerce Harper.
Along with Casas, reduction pitchers Garrett Whitlock and Greg Weissert can be main additions to the Phillies. Whitlock and Weissert had been arguably the No. 2 and three property within the Pink Sox bullpen behind Aroldis Chapman.
Whitlock had a 2.25 earned run common whereas pitching 72.0 innings and constructing a 7-3 file. The reduction pitcher struck out 91 batters whereas strolling 24, giving him a 3.79-1 strikeout to base on balls ratio
Weissert had a 2.82 ERA and a 6-6 file. He was particularly efficient within the second half of the season.
For the reason that Phillies probably need to pare wage from their roster, this supply may assist the Pink Sox land Harper in a blockbuster deal.