Jim Thome Signs with the Phillies

On December 2, 2002, the Philadelphia Phillies signed free agent first baseman Jim Thome to a six-year, $85 million contract. The deal brought one of the most feared power hitters in baseball to a franchise preparing to open a new stadium and eager to return to contention.

Thome had spent his entire career with the Cleveland Indians, where he hit 334 home runs over 12 seasons. He was a five-time All-Star by the time he reached free agency, and his combination of patience and power made him one of the most productive left-handed hitters in the game. In 2002, he hit 52 home runs with a .304 average and led the American League with 122 walks.

Philadelphia saw Thome as the centerpiece of a franchise turnaround. The Phillies were moving into Citizens Bank Park in 2004 and needed a marquee player to anchor the lineup and sell tickets. Thome delivered in his first season, clubbing 47 home runs and driving in 131 runs in 2003.

Injuries slowed him after that. A back ailment limited Thome to 59 games in 2005, and the Phillies traded him to the White Sox before the 2006 season. His time in Philadelphia was shorter than either side planned, but it accelerated the franchise's rebuild. The Phillies won the World Series in 2008, and several of the core players who made that run possible were acquired or developed during the Thome years.

Thome finished his career with 612 home runs, 13th on the all-time list, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2018. His signing with Philadelphia signaled the start of a new era for the franchise, even if he was not there to see it through.