Phillies Rumors and Speculation: Fact or Fiction on the Hottest Talk

It can be difficult to let the following fact sink in during the thick of a dreary, chilly day in the middle of January, but spring training is right around the corner, with pitchers and catchers reporting to camp about a month from now. 

And while there is an air of excitement among baseball fans everywhere, clubs with front offices still trying to upgrade their rosters are starting to feel the heat. The Philadelphia Phillies addressed most of their needs earlier this winter, but still have small tweaks to be made. 

The Phillies came into the offseason with a few obvious needs before swinging trades for center fielder Ben Revere and third baseman Michael Young. At that moment, their needs changed, and Ruben Amaro Jr. signed Mike Adams and John Lannan to address their bullpen and starting rotation concerns, respectively. 

Now, the Phillies are left with no obvious holes in the roster, but the desire to add depth both in the starting rotation and the outfield is noticeably strong. 

So as we take a look at some of the items still burning on the offseason rumor mill, keep in mind that the Phillies are looking to make more of a subtle addition than a huge splash in the month of January. 

Remember, labeling a rumor / speculation as “fact” does not mean that said player will join the Phillies. It means that there is a realistic possibility of a deal happening. On the inverse, “fiction” means that there is little to no chance that a player joins the Phillies.

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