The Philadelphia Phillies could be the surprise team of the Major League Baseball offseason.
Last winter, the Phillies focused mainly on extending their own superstars, which they did by locking up starting pitchers Aaron Nola and Zack Wheeler. But this winter, following a disappointing playoff defeat, the Phillies could shift their attention outward.
Though the Phillies' lineup has long been viewed as one of the most formidable in the sport, it swiftly faded out after the All-Star break this season. Homegrown infielders Alec Bohm and Bryson Stott went into major slumps, and by the playoffs, nearly the entire Phillies team was languishing at the plate.
To improve their offense, the Phillies could dip into free agency. And though Milwaukee Brewers shortstop Willy Adames has mainly been linked to National League rivals like the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers, he could wind up a fit in Philadelphia as well.
Ryan Finkelstein of Just Baseball recently predicted that Adames would sign with the Phillies on a massive eight-year, $192 million contract.
"The top free agent shortstop in the market may also be the top free agent third baseman, as reports have indicated that Willy Adames would be open to switching positions for the right teams," Finkelstein said.
"If the Phillies decide to trade Alec Bohm, as speculated, they could view Adames as an upgrade at third base. Or they could even move Turner to third, and start Adames at shortstop, where he would be an upgrade over Turner defensively."
Adames, 29, is hitting free agency at the perfect time. He slugged a career-high 32 home runs this season, including an MLB-record-tying 13 three-run blasts, while leading all shortstops with 112 RBI.
Adames' willingness to change positions feels at least partially directed at the Phillies, who are unlikely to move Turner off shortstop purely because of the $300 million deal they signed him for. Upgrading from Bohm is a worthy objective, and at least on paper, Adames is a real upgrade.
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