By Matt Rappa, Sports Talk Philly editor 
Although some fans may want the Philadelphia Phillies to sign both Bryce Harper and Manny Machado this offseason — the club reportedly has bigger plans on how to spend "stupid money."
Furthering Jon Heyman's Tuesday evening report that the Phillies will make a "big play" for outfielder Mike Trout — if he hits free agency after the 2020 season — SI.com's Tom Verducci writes the club "won’t be so stupid as to close the door on potentially signing" the seven-time All-Star and two-time Most Valuable Player.
According to Verducci, the Phillies began this offseason "keeping Trout in mind," and according to his source "with direct knowledge of their shopping plans," the club indeed has enough funds to sign both Harper and Machado, "but would like to sign just one of them to leave room in the budget in case Trout reaches free agency in two years."
"If you miss out, that's not the worst thing because there's a guy named Mike Trout who I believe has @Eagles season tickets…" – @ryanhoward on the #Phillies courting Machado & Harper pic.twitter.com/HuLDLVeHLI
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) January 8, 2019
Verducci writes:
In one dream scenario, the Phillies would field an all-MVP outfield in 2021: Trout, Harper and Andrew McCutchen. …
This is shaping up as an enormous season for the Angels in hopes of keeping Trout away from free agency. Though Trout has two years before free agency, teams traditionally push for an extension a year ahead a player’s “walk” year. So Los Angeles is under pressure to finally build a playoff team to better convince Trout to stay. …
Philadelphia has enough payroll room and projected revenues to sign either Machado or Harper this year and Trout after the 2020 season. They carried a payroll of about $119 million last year, a figure that now sits around $130 million. The Phillies carried a franchise record payroll of $183 million as recently as 2014, which equates to $194 million in today’s dollars. That’s slightly below the first Competitive Balance Tax threshold of $206 million, a “theoretical” limit for several larger market clubs.
Trout, 27, has logged 240 home runs and 648 RBI through eight seasons thus far in the majors. The Millville, New Jersey, native is set to earn just over $34 million in each of the next two seasons. Trout has yet to appear in the postseason, as Verducci notes, with the Angels one of five clubs never to have won a playoff game since his debut in 2011.
