Why Dodgers and Phillies are entering the Juan Soto Sweepstakes should be taken seriously

Before the first month of the offseason, the conversations revolved around it Juan Soto focusing on the New York Yankees, New York Mets, Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays.

And with good reason. The Yankees are motivated to keep Soto after surrendering five players to acquire the superstar outfielder last season. The Mets, armed with the deep pockets of Steve Cohen, have made Soto their top priority. The Red Sox are motivated to spend money on a meaningful roster upgrade this offseason. The Blue Jays, after missing Shohei Ohtani last season, would like to add another star alongside Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette.

But the Soto field was never going to be limited to four teams. According to reports, the Philadelphia Phillies and Los Angeles Dodgers met with the 26-year-old and his agent, Scott Boras, in California.

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The Phillies have always been a logical candidate for Soto. After all, three of his former teammates with the Washington Nationals – Bryce Harper, Trea Turner and Kyle Schwarber – are all in Philadelphia. His former hitting coach, Kevin Long, is also in Philadelphia and the two are said to have a strong relationship.

But it’s team owner John Middleton and president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski who make this combination possible. Middleton is willing to spend whatever it takes to win a championship. Dombrowski likes star players. It’s rare for a player of Soto’s caliber, let alone in the prime of his career, to become available. It always made sense that the Phillies would at least ask for a meeting with Soto.

The Dodgers’ participation is probably the biggest nightmare for the other 29 teams. They have a roster, especially offensively, that resembles an All-Star team. They have a lineup that includes Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and others. Pairing Soto with them, and a roster coming off a World Series championship, would be unfair.

Even after the 2023 offseason, where the Dodgers spent more than $1 billion, their entry into the Soto sweepstakes should be taken seriously. They made infinitely more money from Ohtani than they ever imagined. They have the money to sign any player, even Soto, although it is uncertain how much deferred money Soto would be willing to take to make a deal happen.

It’s something to keep an eye on as Ohtani, Betts and Freeman all have money deferred in their contracts. Signing Soto, and not giving him deferred money, could disrupt the locker room dynamic and is something President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman and the front office will have to consider.

The Soto sweepstakes will likely come down to one of six teams. But the Phillies and Dodgers’ participation in the bids should terrify the Mets, Yankees, Red Sox and Blue Jays. Their ownership and spending history prove that they should be taken seriously.