The idea of Juan Soto joining the Phillies for the long term is an exciting one for fans. With his exceptional talent, who wouldn't want him on their team for the next 10-15 years? But when you look closely at the situation, it's hard to see how the move will happen. So, what’s the issue? First and foremost, Soto is expected to sign with the team that can offer him the highest possible contract. And when it comes to spending power, other franchises are better positioned than the Phillies. Soto himself made it clear that he’s open to all possibilities. "We're going to be available to every team," he said after the World Series. "I feel like every team has the same opportunity. I don’t want to say anybody has the advantage because, at the end of the day, we’re going to look at what we have and how much they want me." This doesn’t sound like a player who’s willing to take a discount to reunite with former Nationals teammate Bryce Harper, Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber, and the Phillies' hitting coach Kevin Long Roy Halladay Jersey. So, how much can the Phillies realistically offer? Soto is expected to land a deal worth between $500 million and $600 million or even more. His agent, Scott Boras, will be aiming for a record-setting contract, potentially surpassing Shohei Ohtani's 10-year, $700 million deal with the Dodgers. While Ohtani's contract is heavily deferred, the average annual value (AAV) for luxury tax purposes still comes in at a record $46 million. The Yankees and Mets could very well push Soto’s value to match or exceed Ohtani's deal Francisco Morales Jersey. As for the Phillies, things aren’t so simple. The franchise has recently added new members to its ownership group, who will help pay down COVID-related debt and fund a major new development in Clearwater, Florida. While the new owners may provide some breathing room, John Middleton, the team’s managing partner, made it clear that the payroll may not balloon any further. The Phillies’ projected payroll for 2025 is already sitting at $262 million, with an additional $19 million in benefits, pushing the total to about $281 million. With the team already paying the luxury tax for the past three years, the penalties for exceeding the tax threshold could be significant. If Soto were to sign with the Phillies for an AAV of $41 million (which is likely below what he and Boras expect), the team’s 2025 payroll would skyrocket to $322 million, with an additional $64 million in luxury tax penalties, making the total commitment over $386 million. On top of that, the Phillies would likely need to invest around $20 million more to strengthen their bullpen and rotation Mitch Williams Jersey, pushing their total payroll to over $428 million. This could prove unsustainable, especially given that the team has already made substantial investments in star players. In response to questions about adding another star player, Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said, "I don’t think we need to have more star players. We have as many stars as anybody in baseball. So, I don’t think necessarily that you need to add more." Middleton also echoed the sentiment, emphasizing that the team’s core is already in place. "If all our best players were 37 years old, that would be different. They're not," he said, noting the Phillies’ consistent success in recent years. Since their last World Series title in 2008, the Phillies have made deep playoff runs, finishing as runners-up in 2009, the NLCS in 2010, and again in 2022 and 2023. While they haven’t secured a title in recent years, they’ve remained among the top teams in baseball. Middleton sees parallels with the 1976-1980 Phillies, who had a few years of near-misses before winning the World Series in 1980. The Phillies still see themselves as one of the top spenders in the game, and they will undoubtedly remain linked to Soto throughout the offseason. But despite the speculation, it's unlikely that Soto will end up in Philadelphia.