The Philadelphia Phillies sit in first place in the National League East, hoping to hold the top spot and win a World Series this time around. However, if the Phillies don’t win it all this October, there’s a very good chance changes will be made.
Outfielder Nick Castellanos isn’t a free agent until 2027, but the Phillies should look to move on from him if they can land a better player. With Kyle Tucker, a top-five player in baseball, looking to be signed this winter, he’d be the ideal replacement.
When searching for landing spots, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com linked the Phillies to the Chicago Cubs slugger.
Tucker started his first season with the Cubs on a tear, hitting 17 home runs with 52 RBIs, 20 stolen bases and a .931 OPS through June. A hand injury might have contributed to Tucker’s step back offensively in July and August, but he remains the best and most well-rounded player on the free-agent market this winter, having been worth at least 4.0 fWAR in every year since 2021. The four-time All-Star could command a deal north of $400 million,” he wrote.
How Much Could Kyle Tucker Cost Phillies
As Feinsand touched on, if the Philadelphia Phillies and other teams around the league want Tucker, it might come with a $400 million price tag. Tucker has struggled a good bit in the second half, which should help the Phillies get a lower price, but it’s uncertain how much his struggles will impact him.
Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report thinks it could have a decent impact, noting that Tucker could be looking at $280 million.
Despite a second-half slump that can be attributed to a recently revealed hairline fracture in his hand, Kyle Tucker is still the clear front-runner to receive the largest payday of the 2025-26 free-agent class…
Soto ($51 million) and Judge ($40 million) have the highest average annual value on their current contracts of any outfielders in MLB history, and Tucker will likely be aiming to join that exclusive group. A seven-year, $280 million deal could be Tucker’s minimum in negotiations. With nearly every top spender likely to pursue him, the eventual contract might be even larger,” he wrote.
Philadelphia Should Proceed With Caution
Tucker is dealing with a hand injury, another issue the Philadelphia Phillies have to take into account.
While he’s struggled since the All-Star break, Tucker has been better over the past few days. Hitting coach Dustin Kelly doesn’t believe that Tucker’s down play is due to him focusing on free agency, but rather other things.
“I don’t think that the free-agent stuff has really affected the way that he goes out and plays baseball,” Kelly said, per The Athletic’s Patrick Mooney. “It doesn’t affect the way that he interacts with our guys. He’s in this 100 percent. He wants to win here. He wants to be here. And I don’t think his mind ever gets to that: ‘What if? Or how much? Or how long or where?’ He’s so locked in on helping us win tonight.”
Tucker understands that a big check is waiting for him in a few months. Whether it’s in Chicago, Philadelphia, or elsewhere, the MVP candidate will be looking to get paid.
Phillies Linked to Potential $400M Nick Castellanos Replacement