MLB free agency: Are Phillies fits for any big name infield upgrades?

When free agency kicks off this week for MLB players, the Phillies won't be able to simply sign the best available position players.

There are a handful of reasons why. For starters, their entire infield is set and under contract for 2026 — Bryce Harper at first base, Bryson Stott at second, Trea Turner at shortstop and Alec Bohm at third. They would need to trade one of these players away to open up a spot.

In addition, they probably aren't going to be spending $350 million like the Dodgers. So after they decide which of their outgoing free agents — Kyle Schwarber, Ranger Suárez, J.T. Realmuto and Harrison Bader — they want to retain, they'll have limited funds (assuming they spend like they did last year avoiding the top tier of the luxury tax).

There are a lot of hurdles the team needs to clear to be in position to sign one of the top infielders available on the open market. But let's imagine they do. Maybe the Phillies find a taker for Bohm, and don't feel like infield prospect Aidan Miller is ready to assume an everyday role at the Major League level. And let's assume they're willing to spend reasonably to upgrade his spot.

The following 11 infielders are players whom we'd consider an upgrade over the current infield situation in Citizens Bank Park. There are dozens of lesser-name position players who might be a good fit for the Phillies in a bench role, but the team seems content with Otto Kemp and Edmundo Sosa, so it seems like the team would either make a big, splashy upgrade or marginal spring training invite signings.

Here's a look at the top available hitters who'd improve the offense and how they might fit into the 2026 Phillies:

Pete Alonso, 1B

Alonso, frankly, is more of a Kyle Schwarber replacement who can play some first base than he is a real infield free agent option. If the Phillies were willing to spend the same kind of money Schwarber wants on a player who would either displace Harper at first or be an everyday designated hitter, Alonso has the track record to mash dingers and be in the heart of the Phillies' lineup. The 30-year-old has been an All-Star five times and has reached 118 or more RBI in three of the last four seasons. In 2025 he hit .272 with 38 homers and 126 RBI.

Alex Bregman, 3B

Bregman would be a true upgrade in the infield and he'd be a direct replacement for Bohm, should the Phillies move on from him. It's hard to find a player with better credentials than Bregman, who has finished in the top five for AL MVP voting twice with three All-Star nods, a Silver Slugger and Gold Glove. He is 31, and signing Bregman to the sort of longer deal he'll no doubt want will give the Phillies yet another player they're attached to into his late 30s.

Bo Bichette, SS

Fresh off the Blue Jays' devastating World Series loss, Bichette is just 27 and will be just as, if not more, expensive than the players we documented above. He might be in the market for a 10-plus year deal. As a career .294 hitter with some pop, he might be worth it — but he's not a positional fit as he has played shortstop his entire career.

Josh Naylor, 1B

Naylor plays first base and outfield, and would probably be a better fit in Philly playing as a corner outfielder. But he hasn't played there in a game since 2021 so we'll consider him an infielder for our purposes. Last season he hit 20 homers with 92 RBI and stole 30 bases for Arizona and Seattle. His offensive pedigree would be welcome in Philadelphia, but he isn't a fit for the roster as it currently stands.

Eugenio Suárez, 3B

At third base, Suárez is a potential upgrade to replace Bohm but his style of hitting might be the reason he's not a fit. Suárez hit 49 home runs last season with 119 RBI but he struck out 196 times and hit .228. That's not exactly the kind of hitter missing in Philly.

Jorge Polanco, 2B

Polanco is a little more consistent as a hitter than Stott is right now, with a career .263 batting average. He also has more power, coming off a 26-home run year in 2025 with Seattle. Polanco can play second, short and third, and could actually make some sense with the Phillies.

Luis Arráez, 2B

A three-time batting champ and three-time All-Star, Arráez is just 28 and plays every infield position. He led the NL in hits with San Diego last season and perhaps his reliable bat is the kind of hitter missing from the Phillies' streaky and home run-happy lineup. He might be the best-fitting player on this list for the 2026 Phillies.

Gleybor Torres, 2B

Torres is a three-time All Star who has extremely consistent hitting numbers over his eight-year career, mostly with the Yankees. He has a little pop as well, and could be a right-handed upgrade for Stott.

Paul Goldschmidt, 1B

He is 37 and plays exclusively at first base, and if the Phillies signed him to be their DH they'd be disappointed with his cratering power numbers, he had just 10 homers in 146 games last season.

Miguel Andujar, 3B

Andujar would be an interesting backup plan for the Phillies. He plays the outfield and shortstop and hit .318 in 94 games last season. As a rookie in 2018 he hit 27 homers and 47 RBI but has never come close to those numbers since, and profiles more as a singles hitter who is too good to be a bench utilityman.

Munetaka Murakami, 1B/3B

The Phillies have been dipping their toes in signing Japanese players in recent years, and Murakami is the kind of player who would be a huge boost to the infield if he were signable. He is 25, plays third base well and has slashed a spectacular .273/.394/.550 for the Yakult Swallows. He has 265 homers over eight seasons there, too. He's a lefty and will probably get some high bids for his services from West Coast teams like the Dodgers and Mariners this winter.

Follow Evan on Twitter:@evan_macy

Like us on Facebook: PhillyVoice Sports