The Philadelphia Phillies received a significant development that could shape their biggest offseason decisions.
New free agents Kyle Schwarber and Ranger Suárez informed the team that they are declining the one-year, $22.025 million qualifying offers extended to them, opting instead to enter the open market. With those decisions made, the Phillies can now either pursue long-term deals with the pair or begin looking for replacements.
“Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said in October that he hoped to re-sign not only Schwarber and Suárez, but also fellow free agents J.T. Realmuto and Harrison Bader,” Paul Casella wrote for MLB.com. “Among that group, though, Schwarber and Realmuto are believed to be the club’s top priorities.”
As Philadelphia weighs which of its departing players might return, the front office is also assessing needs elsewhere on the roster—particularly in the outfield and infield.
In the outfield, the club appears ready to move on from Nick Castellanos, who is entering the final year of his contract and openly voiced frustration over reduced playing time last season. In the infield, the Phillies may revisit the roles of Alec Bohm—who regressed offensively following his 2024 All-Star appearance—and Bryson Stott, whose WAR dropped this past year.
In a quieter transaction, the Phillies added to their infield depth by signing Liover Peguero to a minor-league contract. Peguero, who spent the past four seasons with the rival Pittsburgh Pirates, could find his way into the Phillies’ big-league mix thanks to his experience.
“Peguero, 24, was once regarded as a top-100 prospect and logged major league time with the Pirates over five seasons, producing a .646 OPS in 96 games while playing shortstop, second base, and first base,” Just Baseball’s Aram Leighton reported.
Peguero’s best career season so far came in 2023, when he slashed .237/.280/.374 while appearing in 59 games for the Pirates.
Peguero’s versatility could open things up for the Phillies if he earns a chance to contribute to the big-league roster. If the team found an enticing opportunity to move on for Bohm, for instance, Edmuno Sosa could slot into the third base role with Peguero becoming an infield utility option off the bench.
The Phillies still have some bigger questions to answer about their roster for next season. But after a quiet move to sign their National League rival’s infielder, the team could have a high-upside option to promote in the next season or beyond.
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