The Philadelphia Phillies had built significant momentum in the Bo Bichette sweepstakes over the past week. After meeting with him, the potential fit between Bichette and the Phillies seemed increasingly logical, with numerous indications suggesting he was headed to Philadelphia.
“Bichette/Phillies meeting is said to have gone very well fwiw. Bichette admires “first class” organization. Other pluses: roster, park, Mattinglys link, spring proximity to home. Would Phils need to deal Bohm, do lesser C than JT? Other Bo suitors: Jays, Red Sox, NYY, LAD, more,” MLB insider Jon Heyman posted.
In the end, Bichette instead signed with the Phillies’ NL East rival, the New York Mets. With Philadelphia missing out, TBOH’s Matt Davis believes the Phillies could pivot and pursue Cody Bellinger.
“Talks between the Yankees and Bellinger have stalled, which puts the Phillies in a nice spot. Bellinger could be an unexpected, but welcome pivot for the front office. The Phillies still need a shakeup to their roster and Bellinger would suffice after the heartbreak of the whiff on Bichette. The Phillies would need to make room on the roster, and Nick Castellanos again, is the name that has to go in order for that to happen. Castellanos is coming into the fifth and final year of his $100 million contract he signed. He’s severely dropped in production in 2025 with a .694 OPS and an ongoing liability on defense. The Phillies will likely eat most of the $20 million in order to trade or release him. The Phillies are up against it with the high payroll, but they have to still go for a big move,” Davis wrote.
Adding Bellinger would be a major boost for Philadelphia, as he would significantly improve the outfield and could also slide over to first base when Bryce Harper needs a day off. Bellinger is the type of versatile, impact player every team covets, making him a logical target for the Phillies.
Moving on from Castellanos appears increasingly likely regardless, and Bellinger may simply be too good of an opportunity for the Phillies to pass up.
