Here's what Phillies would have to give up to sign a free agent who declines a qualifying offer

Two of the 13 MLB players who received qualifying offers before Thursday's deadline were Phillies, with Kyle Schwarber and Ranger Suárez both getting the one-year/$22.025 million QO. If they decline it and sign elsewhere, the Phillies will receive a compensatory selection after the fourth round of the 2026 MLB Draft. 

What about if the Phillies want to sign one of the 11 other free agents saddled with the qualifying offer? To sign one of them, the Phillies would have to surrender their second and fifth-highest draft picks in 2026, along with $1 million in international bonus pool money. They are one of six luxury tax paying teams that would be held to this penalty for signing a qualified free agent, along with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Toronto Blue Jays, New York Mets, San Diego Padres and New York Yankees. 

The last time the Phillies signed a qualified free agent was Trea Turner in the 2022-23 offseason. They've previously also done so for players like Bryce Harper, Zack Wheeler and Nick Castellanos. For a superstar, you don't think twice about giving up the draft picks and international bonus pool money. But for just a good player, it's a steep price to pay. Either way, signing a qualified free agent hamstrings your ability to sign/draft young talent. 

In addition to Schwarber and Suárez, the 11 other players to receive qualifying offers were Kyle Tucker (Chicago Cubs), Framber Valdez (Houston Astros), Gleyber Torres (Detroit Tigers), Dylan Cease (San Diego Padres), Bo Bichette (Toronto Blue Jays), Trent Grisham (New York Yankees), Brandon Woodruff (Milwaukee Brewers), Edwin Díaz (New York Mets), Zac Gallen (Arizona Diamondbacks), Shota Imanaga (Chicago Cubs) and Michael King (Padres). 

Of those 11, Tucker, Bichette and Grisham are the only ones that really make sense as possible Phillies targets. Even then, none of the three seem particularly likely. Tucker would likely be instead of Schwarber, not in addition to him. Bichette would have to accept a move to third base, and he would probably be as a pivot from Schwarber given that he's likely looking at $25-$30 million per season. Grisham makes some sense from a positional standpoint, but he's a left-handed hitter, and the Phillies need to get more right-handed. Grisham is also someone that would be difficult to give up two draft picks and bonus pool money to sign, because he's a nice player, but not a perennial All-Star. 

Alternatively, there are going to be some really intriguing free agents that weren't eligible for the qualifying offer available this offseason. Among them are Alex Bregman, Cody Bellinger, Pete Alonso, Josh Naylor and Eugenio Suárez. 

Read More Phillies Content At On Pattison

1. Harrison Bader is ineligible to receive a qualifying offer
2. MLB finally has momentum again. They would be foolish to blow it with prolonged lockout after 2026.
3. Brandon Marsh could wind up being most useful trade chip for Phillies this offseason
4. The Phillies might need to find a cleanup hitter not yet being paid like a cleanup hitter this offseason
5. There will be plenty of free agents without qualifying offers for Phillies to consider this winter
6. Bryce Harper goes on record, says he was 'hurt' by Dave Dombrowski's comments, trade talk
7. The Red Sox seem like they could be a real suitor for Kyle Schwarber
8. Nick Castellanos — who previously represented himself — has hired an agent
9. Here's what the Phillies would get if Ranger Suárez and/or Kyle Schwarber leave in free agency
10. 8 candidates to be next bench coach for Phillies