The Philadelphia Phillies had a disappointing end to their 2025 MLB season, and the team should be active in improving its roster.
One area of need for the Phillies is help in the rotation, as the pitching staff was an issue. The free agent markets have plenty of quality starters and relievers. The Phillies are predicted to land the top starter available.
MLB insider Steve Adams of MLBTradeRumors predicts the Phillies will sign Dylan Cease to a massive seven-year, $189 million deal in free agency.
“Cease may be the most durable pitcher in baseball, but in recent years he’s alternated between dominating and disappointing,” the article read. “After a 2.20 ERA, second-place Cy Young finish in 2022, Cease followed with a 4.58 ERA. He bounced back to a 3.47 ERA/fourth place Cy finish in ’24, only to revert to a 4.55 ERA this year. You can imagine Cease ranking much higher on this list had those seasons occurred in a different order. …
“Cease turns 30 in December, and it’s possible some team will overlook his unsightly ERA and sign him long-term. If something close to $200MM isn’t presented, Cease and Boras may look to sign a two or three-year deal with opt-outs, earn a large salary in ’26, and re-enter the market sans QO and (hopefully) with a 3.50 or better ERA. As with any free agent on this list, two years with an opt-out might be less than ideal given an expected lockout during the 2026-27 offseason.”
Cease would help solidify the Phillies’ rotation and potentially replace Ranger Suarez, who’s a pending free agent. The right-hander went 8-12 with a 4.55 ERA in 32 starts last season, but is much better than he was last year.
Phillies Have Money to Spend
Philadelphia should be in on most of the top free agents available, as the Phillies are looking to get over the hump.
The Phillies lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the playoffs. Despite that, executive Dave Dombrowski is confident his team is close to getting past the reigning back-to-back champs.
“We’re close to them,” Dombrowski said. “We battled them, and I think we’re in the same neighborhood. But we didn’t beat them, and we have work in order to do that.”
Given that Dombrowski believes the team is close, he expects the Phillies to have plenty of money to spend this offseason to improve their roster.
“(Owner) John (Middleton) is very supportive of that,” Dombrowski said. “We have a good club with a lot of good players, but you don’t have unlimited (money) … I don’t think we’re going to have a $400 million payroll. I just don’t think that that’s a practicality. But we will be open minded to get better and make a move.”
The Phillies had the third-highest payroll in baseball last season, at just over $293 million.
Padres Gave Cease a Qualifying Offer
If the Phillies were to sign Cease, the team would have to give up a draft pick.
The San Diego Padres extended a qualifying offer to Cease, meaning he could accept a one-year, $22.05 million deal. However, all signs point to Cease declining it as he can land a long-term deal in free agency.
Cease has the potential to be a solid No. 2 starter on a playoff team.
With the Phillies, Cease would join a rotation that features Zack Wheeler, Jesus Luzardo, Cristopher Sanchez, and Aaron Nola.
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