Philadelphia Phillies fans who were brave enough to tune into the World Series were treated to an epic collapse by the New York Yankees. The Los Angeles Dodgers proved to be too deep and too talented for New York, who, aside from a Game 4 outburst and few innings in Game 5, looked about as far from the Bronx Bombers as they could at the plate in the five-game series.
Touted as an all-time battle between two heavyweights, this year’s edition of the World Series looked more like a skirmish between David and Goliath. Only in this version of the story the giant crushed David. From a Phillies perspective, the soul-crushing Yankees loss can be viewed as a good thing, and not just because it’s the Yankees.
Perhaps how the Yankees’ season ended will be enough to help tip the scales away from New York as a destination as mega-free agent Juan Soto contemplates his next move. Maybe watching the lineup around him struggle for most of the series will leave a bitter taste in his mouth. Maybe the sloppy way they blew a five-run lead in the decisive Game 5 will sour him on returning.
Might it be enough to dethrone the Yankees as the odds-on favorite to land the generational talent? It can’t hurt.
Nothing is guaranteed in free agency, especially when it comes to superstars of Soto’s caliber — we all remember the Shohei Ohtani mania last winter. But the Yankees’ World Series loss may open the Phillies’ window of opportunity a sliver more.
We already know the many Soto-Phillies connections in play. By all accounts, Soto has kept in touch with Phillies hitting coach Kevin Long, who he loved working with in Washington. He was Nationals teammates with Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber and, of course, Bryce Harper, who will have a role to play in the Phillies’ pitch to Soto.
The Phillies have long been lumped in with the group of five or six teams repeatedly mentioned as the top suitors for Soto. Both New York teams seem to be the early favorites, with the Phillies named as longshots just three weeks ago. Even more recently, MLB insider Bob Nightengale with USA Today said the Phillies are “expected to strongly pursue” Soto.
While that sounds like a Scott Boras-planted tidbit if ever there was one, Soto’s agent is doing his job at thrusting the Phillies to the forefront of the race for his client, as On Pattison’s Tim Kelly wrote about.
While maybe nothing has changed in Soto’s mind after the Yankees’ dismal showing in the Fall Classic, perhaps everything has. It can’t but help the Phillies’ case. Only time will tell.
