The Philadelphia Phillies are heading into a very important offseason. With Ranger Suarez, Kyle Schwarber, and JT Realmuto all hitting free agency, Dave Dombrowski and company have some difficult decisions to make.
Bringing Schwarber back is a priority, but the Phillies will also explore some other options if he leaves for another team in free agency. One of those players is Pete Alonso.
The New York Mets aren’t guaranteed to keep Alonso, and the Phillies could poach the home-run slugging first baseman from the Mets this winter. Jorge Castillo of ESPN explains the two scenarios for why this move would make sense for the Phillies.
Why Phillies could poach Pete Alonso from Mets
“With Bryce Harper at first base,” Castillo writes, “Alonso probably would only make sense for the Phillies if they do not re-sign Schwarber…”
In that scenario, the Phillies would be losing Schwarber, who hit 56 home runs and knocked in 132 RBIs in a career year in 2025. Losing such a fan-favorite player would sting, but Alonso filling in at designated hitter wouldn’t be the worst backup plan.
However, there’s one other scenario which, while not as likely, would make for a very fascinating lineup.
“But Phillies owner John Middleton isn’t afraid to spend money,” Castillo writes, “and the team could make both Alonso and Schwarber work by moving Harper back to the outfield.”
This would be a bold move from the Phillies, as the money invested in Schwarber and Alonso wouldn’t be cheap. But a lineup with Alonso, Harper, Schwarber, and Trea Turner in the top four would be the best offense the Phillies would have put together in a while.
Harper has expressed a willingness to move back to the outfield, and while there would be some risk with this move, it would be the best way to get as much offense into the lineup as possible.
The Phillies are a likely landing spot for Alonso this free agency cycle, as they could bring him in to replace Schwarber, or shuffle things around by moving Harper back to the outfield if they keep their MVP runner-up DH.
