By Sam Bush
Phillies general manager Matt Klentak appeared on 97.5 The Fanatic yesterday and he had a disquieting message for Phils fans:
Don’t count on the Phils signing both Bryce Harper and Manny Machado.
Klentak said that is “very unlikely” that both players sign with the Phils, although he mentioned it is not impossible.
The team still needs to be able to build a roster and managing payrolls for future years.
This confirms what has already been reported about the club. Matt Gelb of the Athletic reported earlier this month that the club only plans to sign one of the two, making it clear during negotiations.
Klentak also dove into other aspects of the free agency process with Harper and Machado. He said that the meetings went well and that he felt like they “put a really strong foot forward” with their pitches and presentations.
Klentak did mention the fact that all these negotiations will come down to the money. The club is now in “ongoing dialogue” with each player’s agent (Dan Lozano for Machado and Scott Boras for Harper).
