Finances Could Be No Issue for Philadelphia Phillies Making Upgrades at Deadline

The Philadelphia Phillies could be aggressive when it comes to making upgrades ahead of the trade deadline.

Aug 16, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies owner John Middleton before a game against the Washington Nationals at Citizens Bank Park | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Throughout the offseason, the Philadelphia Phillies were seen as a team that could make a major splash when it came to upgrading their roster.

Whether it was signing another high-priced free agent or pulling off a blockbuster trade, the Phillies were connected to just about every notable name who was available.

However, nothing came to fruition.

Their most noteworthy move was buying low on starter Jesus Luzardo from the Miami Marlins, something that could turn out to be impactful, but also paled in comparison to what other teams around the league did throughout the winter.

Besides having a roster already loaded with talent, the main reason why Philadelphia didn't make a game-changing addition was because of the financial situation they're in, carrying a projected payroll of $307.8 million which is third-most in Major League Baseball.

Any money they spend will be taxed at a 110% rate, making any addition an expensive one and one that needs to be a difference maker.

Could that be coming?

It seems like both owner John Middleton and president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski are willing to spend the money ahead of the trade deadline if that's what it takes to get this team over the hump.

"... it would appear there's flexibility to add salary at the trade deadline if the go-for-it Phillies need, say, another reliever or outfielder. If anything, Middleton said the tougher decision will be whether to deal prospects for a short-term gain," Scott Lauber of The Philadelphia Inquirer wrote.

The second part of that statement is notable, but takes a backseat to the first.

The Phillies didn't do much ahead of the deadline last year, shipping out some of their struggling relievers to reload their farm system after sending two of their best to the Los Angeles Angels for closer Carlos Estevez.

They also added Austin Hays as their outfield addition, a move that flopped and looked worse when compared with the others who were dealt.

Philadelphia might not be willing to ship out some of their star prospects once again, especially with them knocking on the door of the Majors, but money doesn't seem to be the thing that would hold them back from making a potential deal.

With that in mind, it will be interesting to see what the Phillies do when that time comes.

After a quiet offseason, they could be one of the most active teams before they get ready for their playoff push.