As the Philadelphia Phillies continue to heavily pursue star free agents Bryce Harper and Manny Machado, the organization may reportedly have even bigger plans beyond the top free agents.
According to Jon Heyman of Fancred, the Phillies are believed to be in excellent position to sign one of Machado or Harper. If they are able to secure one of the two star hitters, they could then pursue another top free agent.
Philly is in excellent position to sign one or the other of the free agent mega stars — Harper or Machado. Signing both though is said to remain pretty unlikely. But after they secure 1, Phils may take a closer look at other top free agents (ie Keuchel, Kimbrel, Pollock)
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) January 15, 2019
The report mentions Craig Kimbrel and A.J. Pollock, but Dallas Keuchel stands out the most as a likely addition. Philadelphia’s rotation needs another strong left-handed starter and adding Keuchel would strengthen the middle of the rotation while strengthening the team’s overall depth and bullpen.
While Keuchel is not close to the Cy Young player in 2015, the 31-year-old is a proven performer in the postseason and would be a strong complement to Aaron Nola and Jake Arrieta.
The Phillies are clearly being aggressive this offseason with plenty of money to spend and an increased desire to quickly become a contender. If they are able to add Harper or Machado and another top free agent, they will be a serious threat in the N.L. moving forward.