HOT NEWS: The Phillies are said to be lurking in the sweepstakes for a former MVP, setting the stage for a major offseason twist. DD
The Philadelphia Phillies‘ main focus this offseason has been reported to be addressing their current outfield situation. As early indications have shown, their initial actions in free agency have reflected this perspective.
The team has been connected to just about every available outfielder on both the free agency and trade markets alike, and some sort of major move seems inevitable. With retaining MVP candidate, designated hitter Kyle Schwarber, firmly at the top of the front office’s list of priorities, it’s likely that an outfield fix will come from an external addition.
How many resources President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski pours into the outfield, whether from a trade or free agent standpoint, is yet to be determined. With that in mind, any insight as to how the team will proceed, to this point, has been hard to come by. However, as free agency continues, pieces of information that begin to give clues about their approach are slowly being released at a more frequent rate.
In a piece published by the New York Post on the morning of Thanksgiving, MLB insider and analyst Jon Heyman gave another intriguing update to the team’s search.
Phillies ‘Lurking’ as Fit For Cody Bellinger
2019 National League MVP with the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger hit the free agent market after a strong tenure in the pinstripes, and Heyman connected him to the Phillies again.
“But the Yankees continue to make Bellinger their No. 1 target, plus Philly and both LA teams are lurking,” Heyman wrote.
A very brief report, but a notable one. Outside of Schwarber, Philadelphia’s specific offseason plans regarding their outfield have been kept close to their chest. While “lurking” certainly isn’t language to form the strongest link between the two parties, it at least gives a sense that the Phillies are active in Bellinger’s free agency, at least to some extent. In the same article, Heyman also mentions bringing back Harrison Bader as a potential outcome.
Bellinger posted an .814 OPS across 152 games in 2025, putting up a .272/.334/.480 slash line, hitting 29 home runs and driving in 98 runs. Adding the 30-year-old would immediately give the Phillies’ lineup a major offensive boost, and his defensive metrics are good enough to improve the overall defense, especially considering the apparently imminent departure of right fielder Nick Castellanos.
Depending on how the market falls, the Phillies could insert themself more heavily into discussions with Bellinger. Moves will definitely be made, and it’s just a matter of exactly what they will be.
