The free agency of star outfielder Juan Soto, undeniably the No. 1 player available on the market, hasn't yet reached the point of teams making offers. Instead, Soto and agent Scott Boras have spent recent weeks meeting with the brain trusts of several interested clubs, including the New York Yankees, New York Mets and the Los Angeles Dodgers. Soto and Boras reportedly plan to meet with another title contender: the Philadelphia Phillies.

We at CBS Sports have been highlighting Soto's potential fits all winter. Today, that means examining three reasons why Soto's fit with the Philadelphia Phillies makes sense.

Let's get to it.

1. Willing ownership, winning situation

One of Soto's supposed priorities in picking his next team is joining a franchise whose owner is committed to winning. What, precisely, that entails is subject to conjecture -- we would have to assume that any winner willing to pony up for Soto would fit the bill. Regardless, we think that any sober analysis of these things will reach the conclusion that Phillies owner John Middleton is an individual who seems to understand what professional sports are all about and how he fits into the equation.

"It's remarkable how special this city is as a fan base. It's why I keep telling everybody, it may be a privately-held business that we own, but it's not a private organization. It's a very public organization. It's a stewardship," Middleton said in August. "We have an obligation. We are accountable to the fans and to the city. If you don't approach it that way, you shouldn't be an owner, in my opinion."

Middleton has backed up his talk with action. The Phillies have fielded a top-five payroll in each of the past four seasons. They've made sizable free-agent investments in Bryce Harper, Trea Turner, and Zack Wheeler; they've reached extensions with Wheeler and Aaron Nola to keep their core in place; and so on. That they've been rewarded with three consecutive trips to the postseason is only just. With or without Soto, the chances seem good that they'll extend that streak to at least four.

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