Philadelphia Phillies rumors: Free agents hesitant to sign with team due to a major factor, per report

The Philadelphia Phillies' offseason activity has been relatively low-key, as compared to last year. Team president Dave Dombrowski has a history of being active in the offseason, but he has remained unusually quiet this year.

The Phillies have not made any significant additions since re-signing Aaron Nola, and according to a report by Matt Gelb of The Athletic, free agents appear to be hesitant to join Philadelphia. According to him, the top-notch players already on the roster could be the reason for the hesitation.

The Phillies already have five starting pitchers(Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Ranger Suarez, Taijuan Walker and Cristopher Sanchez). As a result, hurlers looking for more opportunities are reportedly reluctant to be part of the rotation.

The current Philadelphia Phillies roster also includes big players like Trea Turner, J.T. Realmuto, Bryce Harper, Edmundo Sosa, and Seranthony Dominguez. The Phillies achieved a regular-season record of 87-75 in 2023.

This was their first National League pennant win since 2009. The Phillies reached the playoffs as a wild-card team and surprised a lot of people by making it to the World Series.

Unfortunately, they could not clear the last hurdle, with the Houston Astros defeating the Phillies four games to two.

Phillies hope to keep their stars in Philadelphia

The Phillies really want to keep their best players, like Bryce Harper. In 2019, Harper signed a 13-year contract worth $330 million with no opt-out clause.

Meanwhile, they were unable to reach an agreement on contract terms with infielder Alec Bohm before the arbitration deadline on Friday. Bohm's side reportedly proposed a salary of $4 million while the Phillies submitted a filing of $3.4 million.

The difference of $600,000 is noteworthy, but still not the smallest or the largest difference seen on the day arbitration decisions are finalized. There is still an opportunity for the two to negotiate before the hearing, which is set for later in the offseason.

The Philadelphia Phillies, who reached the NLCS last season and the World Series in 2022, are good enough to compete against the Los Angeles Dodgers and other teams, but it's smart to get more help.