Despite their best efforts, the Philadelphia Phillies lost out on Bo Bichette to the New York Mets. While they might try to land Eugenio Suarez to make up for the losses, one major challenge looms.

Reportedly, Eugenio Suarez (34) will sign with the Philadelphia Phillies. However, the team also has to worry about the Cohen Tax, according to Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report.

“The Phillies, meanwhile, just missed out on signing Bo Bichette as a free agent. That he, Luis Robert Jr., and Freddy Peralta joined the New York Mets in rapid succession only added insult to injury,” Rymer stated.

Now, the Phillies may try to land Suarez through an Alec Bohm trade.

Bohm is projected to earn $10.2 million from his final year of contract with the team.

He was inconsistent throughout the season. By the end of April, Alec Bohm was averaging .221 with .526 OPS, and he hit his first home run all the way in May against the Rays. As a result, he was removed from the top of the team’s lineup. He struggled to drive the ball and recorded only 11 home runs in 120 games throughout the season.

Given such struggles, the Phillies might be looking for better alternatives, and Eugenio Suarez fits the bill, especially after their failed pursuit of Bichette.

Suarez is one of the best right-handed power batters. He recorded his 300th career home run with two consecutive homers in the fifth and sixth innings against the Colorado Rockies last June. Those even helped his team, the Arizona Diamondbacks, win 14-8. He became the third Venezuelan player to score 300 home runs after Miguel Cabrera and Andres Galarraga.

In 159 games, he achieved 49 home runs. So, Suarez could be a worthy addition at Philadelphia, especially for the home games at hitter-friendly Citizens Bank Park.

The Phillies may sign a $15 million to $20 million per-year deal with Suarez.

They were reportedly in the front line to sign Bichette, especially after former Toronto Blue Jays’ bench coach Don Mattingly joined the team. Given his good relationship with Bichette, the rumor mill started spinning louder. They offered him a 7-year, $200 million deal while spreading it out to manage their $56,061,903 luxury bill tax.

Unfortunately, they failed as Bichette preferred the New York Mets’ 3-year, $126 million deal, including opt-outs in 2027 and 2028. Evidently, this would allow him to be back on the market quickly.

Meanwhile, the Phillies brought back J.T. Realmuto on a 3-year, $45 million deal. But that is where they are staring at a major obstruction for signing Eugenio Suarez – the Cohen Tax.

Cohen Tax is a fourth-tier surcharge for reaching the $290 million luxury tax threshold, according to MLB’s Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Introduced in 2022, it was originally intended to prevent the New York Mets owner, Steve Cohen, from spending lavishly on payroll. But now, the Philadelphia Phillies are also facing the same problem.

The team crossed the threshold for four consecutive years (2022 -2025) and was expected to pay $56,062,903 luxury tax penalties by January 21, 2026. This was the fourth-highest luxury tax penalty for the 2025 season.

Coming to 2026, the Phillies once again entered that region.

Fangraphs show that their current luxury tax payroll for the 2026 season is projected to be $284 million, and their estimated luxury tax payroll is $318,965,439. They will already be crossing the second threshold of $264 million with this amount. Now, if they sign Eugenio Suarez, they may once again have to pay a high luxury tax penalty.

While the Phillies have yet to decide on Suarez, they have one prospect who can become the next big name.

The Phillies might bring in prospect Aidan Miller to the team this season

The Philadelphia Phillies seem to be ready to make their move on their prospect and call him up to the majors.

The 21-year-old was drafted by the team with the 27th overall pick in the 1st round of the 2023 MLB Draft and has started gaining attention since then.

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Aidan Miller has developed into one of the best hitters among the prospects in the league. He backs that up with his impressive sprinting and base-stealing skills. Notably, he recorded his 42nd stolen base alongside two hits during a minor-league game last August against the Reading Fightin Phils. He followed that up with his first home run in Triple-A last September against the Syracuse Mets. This was a clutch solo shot that helped him tie the game.

Throughout last season, Miller had 14 home runs and 42 RBI while batting .264 in 116 games.

With Miller, the Phillies will also be getting a new shortstop (and an alternative one, too), as he can gather experience in the majors under the tutelage of veterans like Trea Turner, Edmundo Sosa, and Bryson Stott.

If the Philadelphia Phillies sign Eugenio Suarez and introduce Aidan Miller this season, it will be interesting how they turn into a powerhouse!