The Philadelphia Phillies’ rebuilding process has been slow and arduous, but there could be some light at the end of the tunnel.
The team has just one guaranteed contract on the books for 2018 — outfielder Odubel Herrera’s — and, with money to spend and free agents hitting the market, may look to rebuild quickly after 2018.
According to Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports, the Phillies want to speed up their rebuild by investing in big-name stars in 2018, when players such as Bryce Harper, Manny Machado, and Zach Britton will be on the market.
Harper and Machado together is probably a pipe dream, but the pair of current Baltimore Orioles could be reasonable targets. Team president Andy MacPhail and general manager Matt Klentak both have connections to the Orioles through working for them previously.
The Phillies will have to be prepared to pay a pretty penny for these guys. They will also have to convince these star players that they can build a championship-caliber club around them. If they can, though, it would jumpstart the Philadelphia rebuild in earnest.
