The Philadelphia Phillies are expected to be on the shortlist of teams racing to acquire highest-paid free agent Juan Soto this winter. It appears the four-time all-star is headed to the World Series after a historic regular season, so the bidding will be very competitive. Soto is truly a special offensive talent at 25 years old, and there is even speculation that his next contract could surpass Shohei Ohtani’s massive $700 million contract as the The most lucrative in MLB history.

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The Phillies, who need outfield help in the worst way, will benefit from Soto’s arrival. John Middleton has never been afraid to burn money on stars and Dave Dombrowski has built his career on bold and unexpected big-name acquisitions. Philadelphia can match any team but the Phillies shouldn’t shy away from pushing the envelope. In baseball, star power is always helpful. Soto won’t stop Philadelphia’s other stars from bringing their hits to the plate. He simply took a weak position to the highest level.

Dombrowski will not spend the necessary capital on Soto. The right fielder will go to the Yankees or Mets and fans should prepare themselves for either outcome. However, the fact remains that the Phils need an outfield upgrade from somewhere, and the free agent and trade markets are ripe with attractive options.