Aug 22, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; Boston Red Sox third baseman Alex Bregman (2) prior to the game against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images Gregory Fisher
If the Phillies want to make a major external addition in free agency this offseason without having to give up draft-pick compensation, they should be able to do so.
As noted by Mark Polishuk of MLB Trade Rumors, if the Phillies sign a player that's rejected a qualifying offer from his prior employer this offseason, they would lose $1 million in international bonus pool money, along with their second and fifth-highest picks in the 2026 MLB Draft. The Phillies have done this in the past to sign free agents like Bryce Harper, Zack Wheeler, Nick Castellanos and Trea Turner, but you don't want to make a habit of doing that every offseason, because it limits your ability to draft, sign and develop talent.
Notable free agents this offseason likely to receive and decline qualifying offers — in addition to Kyle Schwarber and Ranger Suárez — include Kyle Tucker, Framber Valdez, Bo Bichette, Dylan Cease, Zac Gallen, Trent Grisham, Michael King and Edwin Díaz.
However, there will be a slew of other quality free agents that aren't eligible to receive a qualifying offer this offseason, and therefore would only cost dollars to sign.
Both Alex Bregman and Pete Alonso are expected to opt out of their current contracts and return to free agency for the second consecutive offseason. After being saddled with qualifying offers last offseason, Bregman and Alonso can't be given QOs by the Boston Red Sox and New York Mets this winter because you can only be extended one once in your career. (This is the same reason the Phillies can't give a QO to J.T. Realmuto.)
The same is true for Cody Bellinger, who will likely opt out of the final season of his three-year/$80 million deal after hitting 29 home runs and driving in 98 runs this past season for the New York Yankees. Bellinger was given a qualifying offer by the Chicago Cubs after the 2023 season, so he's also ineligible to be given a QO again in his career.
Priority No. 1 for the Phillies this offseason will likely be to re-sign Schwarber, who clubbed 56 home runs this past year. If the Phillies are successful in doing that, it will likely take them out of the mix for any of Bregman, Alonso or Bellinger. However, there are going to be other suitors for Schwarber, and in the event that he leaves, one of those three would become much more viable. Bregman, in particular, would be intriguing because he would be a massive upgrade at third base over Alec Bohm and is a right-handed hitter.
Josh Naylor and Eugenio Suárez were each traded from the Arizona Diamondbacks to the Seattle Mariners this past summer, and therefore are ineligible to be tagged with the qualifying offer this winter (this is the same reason the Phillies can't given a QO to Harrison Bader.) With Bryce Harper at first base, Naylor doesn't seem like an ideal fit, but perhaps that will change if Schwarber departs and the DH spot is vacant. Suárez has never been a great third baseman and is 34 years old, but he did hit 49 home runs this past year and was connected to the Phillies at the trade deadline.
There will also be other quality free agents that are eligible to receive the qualifying offer but won't because their current employers believe there's a chance they would just accept the one-year/$22.025 offer. Devin Williams, Tyler Rogers, Lucas Giolito, Brandon Woodruff, Gleyber Torres and Luke Weaver fit into this category.
The point is that if the Phillies want to sign notable players this winter — either as replacements for some of their free agents or in addition to them — without giving up draft-pick compensation, they'll be able to do so.
We'll see how president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski and company choose to proceed.
