Philadelphia Phillies target becomes second highest paid player ever in predictions

If the rumors centered around Philadelphia Phillies being interested in Juan Soto are indeed true, the club should expect to give the slugger a deal well over $500 million.

When Soto entered the campaign, $500 million seemed to be his future price. However, after impressing greatly during the season, having perhaps the best year of his career, that price has increased.

How the Phillies would go about retiring Soto remains uncertain, but their front office and ownership group have continued to show they cannot be ruled out. This is largely a reason why the two have been linked as often as they have been in recent months.

In every forecast, it looks like Soto’s contract is only going up. The latest from Jim Bowden by The Athletic it was just that. Bowden predicted Soto would land a $622 million, 15-year deal.

“By all indications, he is poised to become the second highest paid player in baseball history behind only Shohei Ohtani. He’s a generational talent who will hit free agency at just 26 and should be able to earn a 15-year deal. Executives believe he will land somewhere between $550 million and $650 million, which will likely limit his market to both New York teams and possibly the Blue Jays. Other teams like the Dodgers, Phillies, Rangers, and Nationals could also show up for Soto. “

The 15 years are a big part of Soto’s potential contract. If this deal were only for 11 seasons, it would drastically change his AAV, which, for Philadelphia, is more important than the actual number.

It’s scary to think about the Dominican Republic native joining the Phillies lineup. Unfortunately, the team hasn’t competed at the level it needs to in order to win a World Series in 2024, but adding Soto would certainly add a different dynamic to this group.

Soto, who turned 26 on Oct. 25, is coming off a campaign in which he slashed .288/.419/.569 with a 178 OPS+ and 41 home runs.

His career 160 OPS+ is a great indication of the type of hitter he is, as the lefty is on his way to becoming one of the best in Major League Baseball history.

Philadelphia will have plenty of competition for the star, but if their interest is as widespread as some have made it seem, expect the ownership group to come in with a competitive offer.