The Phillies have an infield puzzle to sort through this offseason, and Aidan Miller is right at the center of it.
Philadelphia is watching Alec Bohm, Luis Arraez, and Edmundo Sosa head into free agency, but the club may only need to replace one true opening in the group. Bryce Harper is set to handle first base, while Trea Turner and Bryson Stott will still be part of the infield mix next season. That leaves Miller, the top prospect, as the name that jumps out as the obvious answer.
Except the Phillies may not be treating it that way behind the scenes.
According to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, Philadelphia has told several agents that it does not believe Miller is ready to be an everyday player right away and that he may need more time in the minor leagues. Nightengale wrote, "The Phillies informed several agents they don't believe prized infield prospect Aidan Miller will be ready to be an everyday player at the outset of next season, and will need more time in the minor leagues."
That could simply be the club’s honest read on Miller’s timeline. It also could mean the Phillies are looking at the bigger market picture and trying to avoid a repeat of what happened last winter.
The comparison is Andrew Painter. Last offseason, Painter was viewed as a possible answer for the Phillies’ No. 5 starter spot, and that certainty had a ripple effect.
Free-agent pitchers apparently saw little path to a rotation job, because the starting five looked largely spoken for with Painter expected to be in the mix from Opening Day. Philadelphia had trouble landing pitchers as a result.
That history makes the Miller situation worth watching. If the Phillies project him as a starter from day one, infield free agents may see the same roadblock that pitchers saw last offseason. By keeping things vague on Miller, Dave Dombrowski could be trying to make Philadelphia look more attractive to a veteran infielder who wants a real shot at playing time.
It may be a little of both. The Phillies might genuinely believe Miller needs more seasoning, and they might also be using that uncertainty to their advantage. Either way, the way they handle Miller’s status could shape how the rest of the infield market views Philadelphia.
For now, the question is whether Dombrowski is being straight with agents about Miller’s readiness or simply playing the market the way the Phillies wish they had played it a year ago.
In Other News...
Phillies Have One Prospect They Refuse To Risk Losing
With the Rule 5 Draft hanging over the winter and a possible MLB lockout looming on Dec. 2, the Phillies still have one roster-management chore to sort through before the calendar turns. Dave Dombrowski said the club will protect at least one prospect, a move that would keep the organization from losing a young player for nothing if the draft does happen.
The likeliest name is Bryan Rincon, whose status has become the key decision in Philadelphias protection plans. Even with the uncertainty around whether the draft will actually be held, the Phillies have made it clear they do not want to leave that kind of talent exposed, a sign of how much value they place on the player and how carefully they are navigating an offseason with a possible work stoppage in the background. [Read more 🡒]
Mets First Base Search Just Took An Interesting Turn
The Mets search for help at first base is starting to take shape, and Ty France has emerged as a name worth watching. After a strong 2023 season with the Padres, France is being viewed as one of several options New York is weighing as it looks to strengthen a position that could use a boost this offseason.
Alec Bohm is also in the mix as the Mets evaluate both free-agent possibilities and trade avenues, which gives the process a broader feel than a simple one-player pursuit. For the Phillies, it is another reminder that a division rival is still sorting through its infield plans, and the final answer at first base may come from a market that is only beginning to settle. [Read more 🡒]
Bryce Harper Rumors Ignore The Phillies Real Offseason Shakeup
The Phillies offseason conversation has quickly shifted from disappointment to possibility, and not in the way most fans expected. While Bryce Harper has been the name drawing the loudest outside speculation, the more meaningful change appears to be elsewhere, with Philadelphia reportedly open to listening on trade offers for Trea Turner and Brandon Marsh as it tries to sort out what went wrong this season.
Harper, meanwhile, still looks like part of the core, and insider Bob Nightengale has said he and Kyle Schwarber are expected to stay put. Harper continues to produce at the plate even as his defense has drawn some criticism, which is why the real intrigue in Philadelphia is not whether the star slugger is on the move, but how far the front office is willing to go in reshaping the roster around him. [Read more 🡒]