The Philadelphia Phillies have several items on their offseason to-do list as MLB General Managers’ meetings get underway.
A lot of focus this offseason is going to be on a lineup that underwhelmed in 2026. Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber and Bryson Stott were the only players to reach or exceed average wRC+ production. Catcher, left field, third base and shortstop are where the team struggled to produce the most.
An internal option, top prospect Aidan Miller, could help fill some infield depth with Alec Bohm, Luis Arraez and Edmundo Sosa hitting free agency. Catcher will be addressed after Garrett Stubbs was designated for assignment.
In the early stages of the MLB General Managers’ meetings, it sounds as if the team’s main focus is on outfield targets, and the Phillies are shopping at the top of the market. According to Matt Gelb of The Athletic (subscription required), three players have emerged: Teruaki Sato, Randy Arozarena and Seiya Suzuki.
Teruaki Sato, Randy Arozarena or Seiya Suzuki would be great fits for Phillies
Those are the three highest-ranked free agent positional players available this offseason. The order some outlets have them in may differ, but they are pretty unanimously the best hitters who are free agents this offseason.
It should come as no surprise that Philadelphia is expressing interest in those three; they would all address the team’s desire to add more power to the lineup after finishing 24th in slugging percentage in 2026; that is the first time since 2021 the team was outside of the top six.
There wasn’t a payoff in the drop-off in slugging, either. It wasn’t as if the team adopted a new approach and was working counts, seeing more pitches and getting on base more; they still didn’t generate enough traffic on the basepaths, something Don Mattingly hopes changes in 2027.
Arozarena and Suzuki are safer options given their track records producing at a high level against Major League pitching. They are both right-handed hitters, which the team needs more of to balance things out.
Teruaki Sato should emerge as Phillies No. 1 target
However, both received the qualifying offer, which means surrendering the second and fifth-highest draft picks along with $1 million in international pool money.
That is a major reason why Sato should be the No. 1 target for the Phillies. Despite some concerns about the swing-and-miss and chasing out of the zone in his approach, he has incredible power potential from the left side of the plate.
He would also bring a little bit of defensive versatility, playing third base in Japan, but with some evaluators believing he could move to second base or left field. Sato would also provide the team with some much-needed youth in a lineup that is built around an aging core.
Turning 28 years old in March, the only projected starter right now who is younger than Sato is center fielder Justin Crawford; Aidan Miller would be younger as well if he makes the roster out of spring training.
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