Money Talks: Phillies remain favorites to land Bo Bichette, assuming they can clear a few very expensive hurdles

It’s no secret money talks in Major League Baseball, and the Phillies clearly know it. After a virtual meeting with free-agent second baseman Bo Bichette on Monday, they’ve emerged as the favorites to land him, assuming the organization can clear a few very expensive hurdles.

Bo Bichette to the Phillies would change the entire lineup

Imagine the top of the Phillies lineup if they sign Bo Bichette 😳

1. Turner
2. Bichette
3. Harper
4. Schwarber

GET IT DONE DAVE 🙏 pic.twitter.com/A2N23hUQjG

— BohmIsKing (@BohmIsKing) January 12, 2026

The first hurdle is obvious.

You are not signing a player like Bichette without beating out the usual sharks, and reports have specifically pointed to the Dodgers, Yankees, and Red Sox as the type of competition Philly has to outbid.

The second hurdle is the one that actually decides this.

The Phillies are already sitting right under the highest luxury tax line. The organization’s 2026 competitive balance tax payroll projected at $302.1 million, which is less than $2 million shy of the fourth threshold at $304 million.

So how do they afford Bo Bichette?

I would argue that the tax thresholds should mean absolutely nothing when you have John Middleton as your owner. The Phillies could spend as money much as they wanted to build a World Series roster. It’s not like they can’t afford it, right?

Still, that’s a heavy price to pay for a team that isn’t guaranteed to win a World Series.

I don’t like it, but the more logical route starts with subtraction.

The Phillies will need to trade Alec Bohm, who is projected to make $10.2 million next season.

There’s also growing chatter that if they do land Bo Bichette, then they probably won’t re-sign JT Realmuto. Reports indicated the Phillies cannot sign both Bichette and Realmuto, even though things can change and probably should change unless you want Rafael Marchan and Garrett Stubbs on the Opening Day roster.

Realmuto is considered the swing point because his current negotiation is already messy. He just finished a five-year, $115.5 million deal, and the Phillies are offering a large cut from that $23.1 million average annual value.

If Realmuto’s number is in the $13 to $15 million range and Bohm is moved, it would clear roughly $25 million, but you still have to go find another catcher or as mentioned, settle with what you already have.

Even with that, Bo Bichette likely costs more than the simple “trade Bohm and take a cheaper Realmuto” plan. This is where the contract structure becomes the lever.

Again, the Phillies could make the luxury tax hit more palatable by giving Bo Bichette a longer-term deal so the average annual value is spread out, which matters for CBT calculations.

They have done this exact type of age-based bet before, and the examples are already on the books: Trea Turner signed through age 40, Bryce Harper through age 38, and Aaron Nola through age 37.

That is the real blueprint if you are looking for a clean answer.

If the Phillies want Bo Bichette, they have to treat it like a roster reshuffle, not a simple add. Trade Bohm. Make a final call on Realmuto. Fill catcher in a cheaper lane. Then offer Bichette the kind of longer-term deal that keeps the annual tax number from blowing up the whole plan.

If they do not want to make those choices, then all of the Phillies’ “meeting went well” headlines are just noise which would be a disaster in itself.

After a meeting that went ‘very well’, the Phillies need to sign Bo Bichette and worry about roster construction later

Join The Chase