Potential Philadelphia Phillies Target Not Expected to Become Free Agent

One potential target of the Philadelphia Phillies might not hit the market after all.

Aug 28, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Chicago Cubs right fielder Cody Bellinger (24) hits into a fielders choice against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the seventh inning at PNC Park / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Throughout the season, the main weakness on this Philadelphia Phillies roster that many people pointed to was their outfield.

With Nick Castellanos getting off to a slow start and Johan Rojas still struggling at the plate, that unit became a talking point despite the team putting up the best record in baseball through the first half of the year.

Dave Dombrowski acknowledged they were looking for some potential upgrades at the trade deadline, especially after their decision to demote Rojas to the minors in hopes he would find some more consistency with the bat in his hand.

Those plans were cut short due to injuries, but the vision to add another outfielder was accomplished when trading for Austin Hays.

Revealed as a longtime target of the Phillies, it hasn't been the start to his Philadelphia tenure that anyone had envisioned with two stints on the injured list that has prevented him from getting into a groove.

One player who the Phillies have constantly been connected to the past couple of years is Cody Bellinger.

The slugger was seen as a perfect fit in the corner of their outfield, providing defensive versatility and a left-handed bat who could bring another element of power to this lineup.

Nothing materialized when he was a free agent this past offseason, and he eventually returned to the Chicago Cubs on a deal that had a potential out after this year if he wanted to test the open market again.

However, Mike Axisa of CBS Sports doesn't think that is going to happen, predicting the former MVP will decide to opt-into his player option and remain with the organization who has revitalized his career, although he is still a little shaky on prognostication.

"I have very little confidence in this but I'm going to say Bellinger picks up his player option, which guarantees him at least $32.5 million between his 2025 salary and the buyout of his 2026 option," he wrote.

If that does come to fruition, that takes a potential target off the board for Philadelphia.

It's also not clear if Dombrowski would be interested in pursuing Bellinger at this point in time since Rojas has started to perform better at the plate and continues to provide elite defense, but it's never smart to completely cross someone off his list.

Because of that, Bellinger's upcoming decision will still be something to monitor by the Phillies.