Phillies predicted to trade for $56M NL East rival, former Cy-Young winner to bolster rotation originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Philadelphia Phillies are eagerly awaiting the regular season after the way their playoff run ended in October. Philadelphia generated significant buzz this offseason around Bo Bichette, who had plenty of ties to the Phillies.
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“Bichette/Phillies meeting is said to have gone very well fwiw. Bichette admires ‘first class’ organization. Other pluses: roster, park, Mattinglys link, spring proximity to home. Would Phils need to deal Bohm, do lesser C than JT? Other Bo suitors: Jays, Red Sox, NYY, LAD, more,” MLB insider Jon Heyman posted.
The Phillies ultimately missed out on Bichette, who signed with NL East rival New York Mets. The move gave the Mets a major offseason win and stirred some division rivalry. Phillies President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski admitted that missing out on Bichette was painful.
“I did think we were going to get a deal done…We were close….It was a gut punch. …But until you have a signed memo of understanding, you don’t have a deal,” Dombrowski said.
To make the most of the offseason, the Phillies could explore a trade within the division for another solid starter in Sandy Alcantara.
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“This is a team reliant on its rotation, especially come October. Zack Wheeler will miss time to begin the year, which leaves the Phillies to potentially cycle through Aaron Nola, Taijuan Walker and an unseasoned Andrew Painter. Not exactly the ideal setup. Why not call up their rivals from the southern tip, as the Miami Marlins willingly parted with Jesús Luzardo last offseason (and Edward Cabrera and Ryan Weathers this offseason). Miami is in a constant state of spinning it forward. Sandy Alcántara, a former Cy Young winner, is due $17.3 million in 2026 with a $21 million club option in 2027,” FanSided’s Christopher Kline wrote.
Landing Alcantara would give Philadelphia a formidable trio of right-handers, even if he struggled last season coming off an injury. The Phillies need someone who can stabilize the rotation until Zack Wheeler returns—and Alcantara could do just that.
Having won the NL East for the second consecutive season, Philadelphia could use Alcantara to push for a three-peat. However, the organization’s ultimate goal is clear: doing whatever it takes to return to the World Series.
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