4 contracts Phillies can move to make room for Juan Soto

The Philadelphia Phillies are trying to get over the hump and win a World Series. They snuck into the playoffs in 2022 and made a Cinderella run to the World Series but fell short to the Houston Astros. Expectations have been sky-high for the team since then.

The Phillies were consistently one of the top teams in Major League Baseball in 2024, particularly during the first half of the season. The season didn’t go as planned, ending quickly in the NLDS.

Rumors are swirling about what the Phillies will do to improve the roster heading into 2025, with the most notable rumor being their interest in superstar outfielder Juan Soto. New York Post baseball columnist Jon Heyman wonders if the Phillies are too late to the sweepstakes because they’re trying to shed payroll.

Dave Dombrowski and the front office have a lot of work and tough decisions this offseason.

José Alvarado

José Alvarado is signed through the 2026 season with a club option in 2026. The left-handed reliever is set to make $9 million in 2025.

Alvarado joined the Phillies in 2021 and immediately became one of their top relievers. His best season came in 2023 when he posted a 1.74 ERA with 64 strikeouts and allowed just 18 walks across 41 1/3 innings.

The 29-year-old struggled in 2024. He was wilder than ever and couldn’t find any consistency. He finished the season with a 4.09 ERA, allowed 28 walks, hit a batter with a pitch, had four wild pitches and allowed a career-high in both earned runs and home runs.

Alvarado is a hard-throwing lefty who many teams would be interested in. He’s proven that he can be one of the best relievers in baseball when he’s commanding his pitches.

Alec Bohm

Alec Bohm has been one of the biggest storylines of the Phillies’ offseason so far. The 28-year-old third baseman has been the topic of trade rumors over the last couple of weeks.

The Phillies have yet to deny these rumors, which has led the baseball world to believe that a trade is a real possibility. Bohm is still arbitration-eligible and is expected to have a salary of $8.1 million in 2025, per Spotrac.

Bohm got off to a dominant start to the 2024 season. He earned the first All-Star selection of his career and looked to solidify himself as the Phillies long-term third baseman. That quickly changed after a disappointing second half and playoff performance.

Bohm is under team control for two more years and won’t be a free agent until 2027. Given his age and potential, the Phillies should have many suitors in the trade market.

Nick Castellanos

Nick Castellanos, like Bohm, has seen his name in trade rumors this offseason. Castellanos has been a streaky player in his three-year Phillies career, but the two-time All-Star was one of the best and most consistent players on the team in 2024.

Castellanos slashed .254/.311/.431 with a .742 OPS, 30 doubles, 23 home runs and 86 RBI. He played well in right field and had a .412 batting average in the playoffs.

The 32-year-old still has two years remaining on his five-year, $100 million contract. It’s worth noting that Castellanos and Soto both play right field. If the Phillies can clear Castellanos’ contract, the possibility of Soto playing his home games at Citizens Bank Park would significantly increase.

Taijuan Walker

Phillies fans want nothing more than Taijuan Walker to be off the team. The veteran pitcher has been a massive disappointment since signing a four-year, $72 million contract with the Phillies.

It’s unlikely that Dombrowski will find a way to clear Walker’s $18 million salary off the books. A team desperate enough for starting pitching, or even bullpen help, might be interested, but the Phillies would likely have to eat a large chunk of Walker’s contract.

Walker has two years remaining on his contract and won’t be a free agent until 2027. Moving his contract to make room for Soto is a pipe dream.