Phillies 2025-2026 Hot Stove Discussion

[Austinfan]

Bowlan is exactly the kind of pitcher you gamble on, team control, young enough (and a history) that there is potential upside and you managed to shed salary with an older RP with only downside.

He doesn't need a make over, he has good enough stuff to take a step up with tweaks.
Basically a functional changeup or improved two seamer from being a back of the rotation SP or 7th inning RP (i.e. a pitch to use against LH hitters).

[EDmuch]

Since I am outside of the Philly area, I was wondering if there is any real credible local skuttlebutt to the rumor that the Phis are heavily involved in the pursuit of Imai.

[Austinfan]

Pretty much what's on the Net.
One rumor is he wants Philly but his management team is trying to steer him to the Yankees.
But who knows?

[zambonir]

I imagine they are interested and can afford him, but you would think if he actually meets - or even Zooms with them - the local beat writers would have it. But is he truly a priority, and would it come at the expense of a Luzardo extension?

[EDmuch]

Since all 3 current RH starters have questions attached to them, I could see DD being interested in the guy.

[zambonir]

For sure. They offered Yamamoto and wanted to to at least talk to Sasaki. Never a wrong move to have more pitching, or younger pitchers. It's also one you make for multiple seasons, not just this one. And they'll have more money freed up next year (Walker, Bohm, Casty all off the books for starters. Alvarado too). But who knows what the missing piece of the puzzle might be for the player (or his agent). Money, market, chance to win, the rest of the rotation?

[andyb]

There is probably a non-zero chance we lose Bowlan to waivers over the course of the season. The Strahm deal was first and foremost a salary dump. Bowlan had a decent year last year but previously he looked a lot like all the AAAA pitchers we just signed last week. He'll be given a medium leash but nothing like Romano. If he has a 5+ ERA in mid-May they probably try to send him down and it is 50-50 that he won't get claimed. He has more history of mediocrity than performance (like Keller of course but Keller had a measurable jump in his stuff).

The lefty (Backhus) is ticketed for AAA unless Alvarado or Banks got hurt. He really needs to figure out how to get right--handed hitters out to be a viable big league option. He has a few years to figure it out at least with his options. Frankly I am almost as excited about Seth Johnson getting the extra option. He has had only one year in relief and if there is a guy who might come out throwing 100 with a better out pitch it might be him. Curet too.

Matt added his thoughts here too. He is a little higher on Bowlan I guess but the pressure to perform on a good team will still be there (i.e. if he is mediocre he won't stay).

Phillies Reshape the Middle of the Bullpen

[zambonir]

Bowlan is more in the Joe Ross or Ruiz spot, and if Walker starts in the rotation he could also just be the long man, given his starter background. Of course we wound up ditching both Ross and Ruiz. In the first half of the season they were both asked to do more than they should have been probably (given Romano's failings and Alvarado's suspension).

I'm guessing Bowlan's presence makes it harder for McCambley. Dombrwowski's comments about them (as far as being able to get RHBs out) were similar.

[LoneStarPhan]

McCambley will have to show that he is ready to contribute this spring. The modern bullpen uses many more relievers in a typical game than years ago.

[Austinfan]

Bowlan also has the kind of stuff that translate to a 7th SP, and you always end up needing one for a few starts.
It's unlikely any young pitcher will be ready to be brought up for that role this season.

[zambonir]

Dodgers to pay record $169 million luxury tax bill after back-to-back World...

To put that in perspective, the Dodgers’ luxury tax bill exceeds the payrolls of 12 individual MLB franchises, according to Spotrac. It’s also higher than the combined tax payments of the seven tax-paying MLB teams below the Dodgers and the New York Mets.

This marks the fifth consecutive season the Dodgers have triggered the luxury tax. The team’s 2025 tax assessment sets a new record, surpassing the Dodgers’ $103 million luxury-tax hit in 2024. With Friday’s $169.4 million charge, Los Angeles has now overtaken the New York Yankees as MLB’s highest overall payer — $519.4 million to $514.2 million — since the luxury tax was instituted in 2003.

[LoneStarPhan]

CBS sports reporting that the Phillies are exploring the trade market for a catcher.

Phillies pursuing catcher trades

[julio]

CBS sports reporting that the Phillies are exploring the trade market for a catcher.

Phillies pursuing catcher trades

Well, if they aren't getting anywhere with JT, they really have to.

[EDmuch]

I find it hard to believe that there is another team out there willing to pay JT $15 million per year for 3 years.

[zambonir]

CBS Sports isn't reporting anything, just linking to this Athletic story.

Phillies lean right with new-look bullpen, still waiting on J.T. Realmuto

> The Phillies and Realmuto are locked in a standoff, league sources said. The club has discussed various multiyear offers with Realmuto, who continues to explore the market. A reunion makes sense for both sides. That, still, is the expectation. But, as Realmuto seeks a better offer, the Phillies have pursued trade alternatives. Realmuto’s return is not guaranteed.

Presumably the Phillies not offering $15 M /3 years either!

[andyb]

Any original article would have explored real trade options like Baltimore (Rutschman or Basallo). They'd be expensive of course. Certainly one of our top 3 or 4 prospects would need to go in a deal to start with.

And that is why we probably end up with Realmuto. He wants 3 years. The Phillies probably want 2. Sounds like a vesting option for year 3 and while we all know Realmuto will play almost all the time even if he is hitting .230, the vesting option would protect them against injury.

2 years,, $26 million plus a $4 million buyout for a 3rd year at $13 million also. That gets JT the $15 million he probably wants and the Phillies get a deal on the 3rd year if it comes to that (and we really don't have anyone in our pipeline that looks like a starting catcher now).

[zambonir]

My guess is if JT remains unsigned and the Phillies have any talks with Baltimore we'll eventually hear about it. And even more so if they whiff (I.e. he signs with someone else without giving them last offer). Probably at this point they have merely inquired about less inspiring/more adequate veteran catchers.

It doesn't bother me, per se, that the Phillies aren't spending with the Dodgers (or Mets) but it does seem a little silly to start nickel and diming (even if the nickel if $5 million and the dime $10 million) over the bullpen or JT.

[RolenRules]

White Sox To Sign Munetaka Murakami

Posting this here, as I think some posters were advocating pursuing Murakami.

IMO the Phillies could have at least matched the Chisox offer. Murakami's ceiling is much higher than Bohm's and the $ difference between their two contracts was paid for by the Strahm trade.

[zambonir]

Yeah I posted it in the non-Phillies thread but certainly of Phillies interest. As I said there, they absolutely could have, so they probably didn't want to. It's questionable he can actually play 3B and they can't put him at 1B or DH.

And that $ difference with Bohm would only be for this year, plus that $7 million is already spent on JT, probably. Where do you put Miller next year while you're paying him $17 million (yeah, I know, SS, but probably not).

They may or may not have been one of the teams that made him a longer (but lower AAV) offer, but the fact that no contender apparently had the best bid says a lot. If he actually works out, and Miller isn't our future 3B, Phillies (or anyone else) can always trade for him in 18 months (and/or sign him as a FA).

[zambonir]

He's gonna play 1B for the White Sox, Passan reports.