Phillies Off-Season 2024-2025 (Hot Stove)

Interview with new Phillies part-owner. Always wondered what the heck that company was that sponsors the Camdens theater. He is the sole owner.

Forbes sources at the time said his 1/6th share was bought for $455 million, putting the team's value at $2.8 billion (Forbes' own estimate at the time was $2.575; now it's 2.92).

Not much baseball talk.

I'm not even sure how this would work considering Thomson is under contract.

They would have to trade for him. It's been done before,

http://www.espn.com/espn/page2/index/_/id/7026341#:~:text=In%20return%2C%20they%20got%20outfielder%20Randy%20Winn%20from%20Tampa%20Bay.&text=Prior%20to%20the%201977%20season,return%20for%20catcher%20Manny%20Sanguillen.&text=In%201960%2C%20Joe%20Gordon%20was,for%20their%20manager%2C%20Jimmy%20Dykes12.

Aaron Judge?

Edit: Never mind, he's FNTC.

Just make them take Walker and Castellanos.

Some seriously silly stuff. I guess putting out this kind of clickbait while the Yankees are actually still playing in the World Series means more traffic not less. What if they win?

Trade, them Castellanos or Walker and our manager for a couple of promising prospects who don't need Rule 5 protection, but aren't among the Yankees top prospects and call it a day. I doubt Yankees would do this, but...

Of course Boone also isn't going anywhere, Yankees are expected to pick up his 2025 option.

I believe Matt Kroon resigned also last week (minor league free agent). Good AAA depth even if he took a step backwards last year (766 OPS in Lehigh Valley). He'll be 28 next season.

Ahh, it's almost the second-best time of the year.

Yep. One more Dodgers victory, and we're off...

https://www.mlb.com/news/phillies-expand-ownership-group3

Managing partner John Middleton announced on Friday that the Phillies have added three new investors to their limited partnership: Mitchell L. Morgan, Guntram J. Weissenberger Jr. and a third investor who wishes to remain anonymous. The Middleton and Stanley C. Middleman families will contribute additional funds to the group as well.

Third luxury tax tier - here we come.

Not sure I like anonymous owners.

Morgan and Weissenberger are really estate guys. Morgan also owns a piece of the Washington Commanders.

Certainly makes one curious but these guys don't get much say. Bit of a throwback to the old ownership group.

The cash flow will obviously be good, not just for the luxury tax but the real estate ambitions in both FL and Philly.

I am really hoping that DD can get Rooker away from the A's without destroying our prospect pool.

Not the most earth-shattering news, but news (the rest of the piece is speculation, mostly stuff we've read before).

Kolby Allard, a spot starter throughout the season, is eligible for arbitration. He will be removed from the 40-man roster before free agency begins, according to two major-league sources. The Phillies have some trimming to do on their 40-man roster. Allard will be part of those cuts.

Gelb also says Abel and Chaice are locks to be protected, Castellano probably, but McGowan, Cabrera and McGarry maybes.

I would think you have to protect McGarry, as he could wildcat his way through a season at the bottom of the roster and wouldn't necessarily be a wasted spot (in terms of not being able to help the Phillies themselves). Of course one or more of these guys could also be traded.

I expect DD to make limited moves this winter, given a few prospects on the cusp of the majors, he may want to wait until mid-summer to make a major move, depending how Painter, Crawford, Abel, etc. look.

They really don't need a one dimensional LF on a 3-4 year contract with a one dimensional RF with 2 years left on his deal.

The problem with upgrading the bench is that veteran upgrades don't want to go to a team where they're only going to get 100-200 PA. So they'll probably go with Kennedy, Stevenson, Clemens et al and maybe some veterans invited to ST or some AAA+ guys who have upside (younger guys sidetracked by injury types).

They sign one of Hoffman/Estevez then add more tryouts for Lehigh (Covey, Ruiz types).

So I expect a boring winter. Not the worst thing for a 95 win team with some real prospects close to knocking on the door.
20 starts from Painter last year as the 5th starter probably gets them to 100 wins.

There's nothing wrong with that approach, but every indication - including the new infusion of investor cash and Middleton saying he is willing to exceed the last threshold - says they will be doing otherwise. The advantage is it only costs money. If you hit the deadline and need a serious bat (or pitcher) it costs you prospects. Of course that's also true of any big off-season trade unless it's major league for major league.

And as Gelb points out, Kennedy, Stevenson and Clemens are all out of options, I doubt the first two even stay on the 40 (whether that happens in December or March).

Obviously this sort of thing is more smoke than fire but that doesn't mean the Phillies aren't at least browsing at this level.

Juan Soto, Gerrit Cole & Devin Williams lead buzz around MLB | Phillies potential targets 4https://t.co/Vk7FGl8l0B4

— PHLY Phillies ( @PHLY_Phillies ) November 4, 20241