Phillies: Favorite or long shot for top 2 free agents

Klentak’s competition:         

Because the Boston Red Sox had picked up J.D. Martinez last winter, they are paying the maximum penalty for being well above the Luxury Tax line, but they won the ’18 World Series. However, they won’t be competing for Machado or Harper: Their owner recently stated they can’t continue this excessive spending.

Although the Chicago Cubs need an upgrade at short, they won’t pursue Machado even after their second-half scoring difficulties. Their payroll is increasing due to their young stars. Additionally, they moved a $7 million starter to exercise ex-Phillies ace Cole Hamels‘ $20 million team option.

As for the San Francisco Giants, corner outfielder Harper is a possibility, but they have just changed their front office. They have aging stars, and they went under the competitive-balance threshold in 2018. So, taking on a long, expensive commitment with a potential restructuring ahead is iffy.

Regarding the St. Louis Cardinals, they avoid bidding wars but might make an exception for Harper. That stated, they need a corner infielder, but would Machado accept manning the hot corner? Or have his antics turned off the Cards higher-ups?

While the Los Angeles Dodgers also lowered their payroll under the Luxury Tax line, they may have done so to acquire pitching for their rotation and bullpen. And they might not want to pay the tax for being $35 million over the threshold for Harper. Remember, this is the former Tampa Bay Rays management.

Money aside, the Yankees don’t have a spot for a corner outfielder like Harper because Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge are there, but they are also right-handed hitters like Machado. In other words, neither free agent is a fit for the Bronx Bombers. But they need a solid starter.