MLB rumors: Phillies’ owner expects increased payroll in 2025, Giants could move former All-Star reliever

The 2024-25 MLB offseason is underway and free agency officially opened Monday. Free agents are now free to negotiate and sign with any team. Here are the important offseason dates and the 13 free agents who received the qualifying offer. Here now are Tuesday’s hot stove rumors.

Phillies‘ owner expects higher payroll in 2025

The Phillies won the NL East with a 95-67 record in 2024, though they were eliminated by the division rival Mets in four games in the NLDS. The club remains in win-now mode, of course, and owner John Middleton recently told the Philadelphia Inquirer he expects payroll to go up in 2025. Here’s what Middleton said about the team’s payroll situation.

“Given where we are in contract cycles and minor-league people coming up, I expect the player payroll to be higher (next season) rather than lower,” he said. “I’d be surprised if it’s the same, and I’d be stunned, very stunned, if it’s lower. I don’t see it being lower.”

According to Cot’s Baseball Contracts, the Phillies finished 2024 with a $261.8 million payroll for competitive balance tax purposes. Zack Wheeler‘s $42 million per year extension kicks in next year, and the club’s projected payroll is already $281.6 million for CBT purposes. Even with a quiet offseason, payroll figures to go up significantly in 2025. And, of course, the Phillies have not been quiet during winters of the Bryce Harper era.

Teams expressing interest in Doval

Several teams have expressed interest in Giants‘ reliever Camilo Doval, reports the San Francisco Chronicle. Doval, 27, lost his closer’s job this past season and was demoted to the minors at one point. He remains a premium strikeout artist though, fanning close to 30% of the batters he faced in 2024. Doval will not become a free agent until after 2027. He would be a multi-year pickup.

Teams love nothing more than buying low on talented players, and Doval, an All-Star in 2023, fits the bill. Multiple years of control means he appeals to every team too, not just contenders with an eye on 2025. Rebuilding clubs could have interest too. The Giants have a new front office led by Buster Posey. They could move Doval now and turn the page, or hold him and hope he rebuilds value in 2025.

Santana hopes to play 3-4 more years

First baseman Carlos Santana just won his first Gold Glove and he hopes to play another 3-4 more years, his agent told MLB.com. Santana will turn 39 in April, so age is working against him, though he remains a productive hitter (23 homers with the Twins in 2024) and a great defender, and also a top-notch clubhouse guy. He has long been held in high regard for taking young players under his wings. At his age, playing 3-4 more years may not happen, but Santana should have no trouble finding work for 2025.