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Could The Phillies Really Land Juan Soto?

🚦 THE Philly Sports Newsletter

AuthorAuthor

Philip Keidel & John Foley
October 29, 2024

© Geoff Burke | 2018 Aug 2

A new Juan Soto / Phillies trade rumor dropped on Monday. Should we let ourselves believe?

The Eagles, meanwhile, may be looking at a quiet trade deadline. But for good reasons.

Plus we’ll check in on #3 Penn State ahead of their scheduled loss showdown against #4 Ohio State.

Let’s jump in.

In the email today:

đź‘€ Phillies / Juan Soto Rumors

USA Today's Bob Nightengale reported Monday that the Phillies "are expected to strongly pursue" outfielder Juan Soto as a free agent this offseason.

Nightengale’s article focuses mainly on a discussion with Soto’s agent, Scott Boras, about negotiations with former Padres owner Peter Seidler prior to Seidler’s death. Boras says that Soto would be a Padre today if Seidler were still alive.

The Phillies are mentioned in a paragraph listing many possible suitors for the 26-year-old superstar:

"The Yankees haven’t hidden their desire to have [Soto] return. The crosstown Mets, with the richest owner in baseball in Steve Cohen, could be beckoning. The Philadelphia Phillies are expected to strongly pursue him to team up with Boras client Bryce Harper. The Toronto Blue Jays and San Francisco Giants, who were left at the altar in the Ohtani bidding war last winter, will now turn their attention to Soto."

Later on Monday, On Pattison’s Tim Kelly expressed skepticism that the Phillies would be in the mix for Soto. He suggested Boras may be trying to drive up Soto’s price by exaggerating the market for the young star’s services:

“[I]t would be organizational malpractice [for the Phillies] not to check in on one of the greatest young hitters in MLB history when he does hit free agency.

There does feel like an element of this, though, that's a little too transparent. Boras is quoted in the story, and then later in it the Phillies are tied to Soto in the most clear-cut terms that they have been to date. Not only does putting this information out make Phillies fans dream about Soto in red pinstripes, but perhaps managing partner John Middleton, who surely is disappointed by the NLDS exit at the hands of the New York Mets.”

Kelly’s skepticism is warranted. The price tag for Soto could reach $500 or even $600 million, and the Phillies are already heavily invested in contracts for Harper, Trea Turner, Aaron Nola, and others.

But if John Middleton really “wants his f’ing trophy back,” he will likely need to keep pace in the ever-escalating arms race among the biggest-spending teams in baseball.

Stay tuned.

🤫 Eagles Win Streak May Keep Them Quiet at Trade Deadline

We’re old enough around here to remember when Nick Sirianni was on a hot seat after the Eagles were blown out in Tampa and barely scraped by the Browns at home.

Three short weeks (and three wins) later, not only is Sirianni’s job apparently quite safe, it doesn’t look like significant reinforcements are coming at the trade deadline.

The facts support both premises:

  • Known for his activity during prior deadline periods, Howie Roseman may look to improve the roster though Philadelphia’s recent performance has reduced some of their needs.

  • Sydney Brown’s return has bolstered safety depth, backups Fred Johnson and Tyler Steen have steadied the offensive line, and Grant Calcaterra has stepped up at tight end in Dallas Goedert’s absence.

  • The team previously added WR Jahan Dotson in a trade, which makes the likelihood of parting with additional assets to obtain another receiver fairly low.

  • The primary remaining need appears to be an edge rusher, but the team would have to navigate the $51 million contract of Bryce Huff, who has underperformed, to make a major addition.

  • Balancing roster confidence with potential improvements, Roseman could still make a move if it upgrades the pass rush.

Roseman is also getting his flowers of late.

The Eagles are favored to beat the Jaguars Sunday afternoon at the Linc. After that, it’s the annual trip to Dallas.

Watch this space. It’s getting interesting in Birdland.

🏥 Drew Allar Likely a “Game-Time Decision” for Penn State’s Clash with Ohio State

It’s #3 Penn State versus #4 Ohio State in a massive clash between Big Ten powerhouses in Happy Valley at noon on Saturday.

Nittany Lions fans might spend an anxious week waiting to see whether starting quarterback Drew Allar can go.

Allar’s health isn’t absolutely make or break for Penn State, though obviously Franklin hopes his starter will be healthy in time.

  • Allar left the win over Wisconsin on Saturday with a lower-body injury near the end of the first half.

  • Although Allar attempted to return in the third quarter, the staff opted to continue with backup Beau Pribula.

  • Franklin indicated that Allar's availability for the next game may be a game-time decision, with all quarterbacks likely needing preparation.

  • Allar, who has shown marked improvement under new offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki, has increased his completion percentage, yards per attempt, and yards per game. He recorded 148 yards and a touchdown before his injury against Wisconsin.

  • Pribula filled in effectively, completing 11 of 13 passes for 98 yards and a touchdown, while adding 28 rushing yards, showcasing the dual-threat ability Kotelnicki has utilized with mobile quarterbacks in his past roles.

For his part, even on Saturday, Pribula knew what he needs to do every week.

The expanded college football playoff drains some of the juice from this clash. Neither team is apt to end up out of the top 12 teams in the nation, win or lose on Saturday.

But the winner of this game will continue to have a straight line to a coveted bye in the opening round.

Penn State hasn’t beaten Ohio state since 2016. Saturday would be a nice time for the Lions to break that hex.

📆 This Day in Philly Sports History

On October 29, 2008, the Phillies won their second World Series championship in franchise history.

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Results from Monday:

đź“ş Coming Up

Games before our next send.

October 29, 2024

  • Flyers at Bruins, 7:00 p.m. (NBC Sports Philadelphia)

Thanks for reading. See you tomorrow.

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