The Philadelphia Phillies are still coming to grips with letting Bo Bichette slip through their fingers. But to them, it's not the end of the world.
On Tuesday, Phillies President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski is seemingly undeterred and not worried about the lack of a big-name free agent, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today.
“We're content where we are,” he said.
As a way to compensate for that missed opportunity, the Phillies did manage to re-sign J.T. Realmuto. Philadelphia is coming off a season in which they finished 96-66 and won the NL East. Ultimately, they were defeated in the NLDS by the eventual champion LA Dodgers.
Meanwhile, the New York Mets secured Bichette from the Toronto Blue Jays. A significant reason for that was the Mets' deal, which was shorter and had a higher annual value (AAV) with opt-outs. Conversely, the Phillies had a longer, lower AAV, with a longer commitment.
Therefore, Bichette chose the Mets due to greater flexibility. He finished the season batting .311 with 181 hits, 18 home runs, and 94 RBIs. In the process, he helped lead the Blue Jays to their first World Series appearance since 1993.
Nevertheless, the Philllies did make some big moves during this offseason.
Perhaps the biggest was re-signing Kyle Schwarber to a five-year $150 million deal after he batted .240 with 56 home runs, 132 RBIs, and 145 hits. Additionally, they signed outfielder Adolis García to a one-year, $10 million contract.
In terms of the pitching, Philadelphia bolstered its bullpen by re-signing relievers Tyler Kinley, Raisel Iglesias, and Joel Payamps.
