By Zach PressnellShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberThe Philadelphia Phillies have put together a good roster over the last few years, but it hasn't been enough to get past the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League. In fact, every team in baseball is chasing the Dodgers after they've won back-to-back World Series titles.
They need to re-sign Kyle Schwarber, but they need to make some other moves, too.
Ryan Finkelstein of Just Baseball recently predicted the Phillies would sign international slugger Munetaka Murakami to a massive seven-year, $140 million deal this offseason.
..."The Phillies have been trying to land a player from Japan for years now to build their footprint over in Asia and there is no better player to do it than Murakami. A hitter’s friendly ballpark, Citizen’s Bank would be the perfect new home for Murakami," Finkelstein wrote. "If Kyle Schwarber does not re-sign with the Phillies, they are going to need a replacement and Murakami could fit the billing at DH. They also can play Murakami at third base, where he would be shaky defender at best, but would provide way more upside with the bat than Alec Bohm."
Munetaka would be a huge addition for the Phillies, especially if Schwarber's free agency is up in the air. Philadelphia needs to improve this winter regardless, but if Schwarber and Ranger Suárez leave, it could get desperate in free agency.
Signing Murakami makes sense regardless. He could replace Alec Bohm at third base next season.
Either way, the Phillies should have the money to make a move like this. If they want to close the gap on the Dodgers, this is the kind of move they need to make.
More MLB: Yankees Projected To Re-Sign Slugger On Huge 6-Year, $150 Million Deal
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