Phillies rumors: Are we in for a surprise at the Winter Meetings?
By John Town
There are moves that most expect the Phillies to make at the Winter Meetings. However, will they pull something out of nowhere we won’t expect?
There are definitely plenty of moves the Phillies can and should make at the MLB Winter Meetings next week. They definitely need to acquire some rotation help, and most expect the team to trade one of Cesar Hernandez or Freddy Galvis to clear up the middle infield.
However, the team could very well still surprise us at the winter meetings next week.
One thing that came somewhat out of nowhere was the news that the team could pursue Manny Machado in a trade with the Orioles this offseason. Many expected them to go after Machado if and when he hits free agency during the 2018-19 offseason, but trading for him now is a bit of a surprise.
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On the other hand, a trade could make sense as it gives them Machado’s production in 2018 as opposed to in 2019. If they want Machado that badly, why not go after him now?
Plus, this also gives them the ability to sign Machado to a long-term extension before anyone else gets the chance. If general manager Matt Klentak does make this trade, he would likely do it with the confidence that Machado would stay in Philadelphia beyond just 2018.
The Phils could also make a much bigger splash in free agency than anyone expects them to. The front office has expressed the desire to save some money in 2018 before going hard after 2019, but they could very well make a big splash and still have more than enough left over for the next season.
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If the team is interested in getting some help at third base, Mike Moustakas could be an attractive option. Moustakas is projected by MLB Trade Rumors to sign a five-year, $85-million contract this offseason. That $17 million per year price tag is certainly nothing to scoff at, but it would definitely be cheaper than Machado, who some think could come at as high of a price level as $40 million per year.
They could also surprise us and acquire one of Yu Darvish or Jake Arrieta. They are arguably better than any starters that will hit free agency next year (unless Clayton Kershaw opts out), and certainly would help the team.
It would require a major shift in philosophy from the front office, but crazier things have happened.
Next: Phillies rumor: Team interested in Machado
Next week’s winter meetings probably won’t have any Philadelphia-related craziness, but things change quickly every winter there. We could see a surprise that we certainly didn’t expect going into the week.