If the Philadelphia Phillies miss out on Manny Machado, who seems destined to join the Los Angeles Dodgers in the coming days, the team is expected to turn its attention elsewhere for help on the left side of the infield.
A source told Todd Zolecki of MLB.com the Phils would pursue Kansas City Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas or Minnesota Twins third base/shortstop Eduardo Escobar. The team is also expected to look for bullpen and rotation help, and Zach Britton remains an option.
Earlier Tuesday, Philadelphia still believed it had a chance at Machado. However, a recent report suggested a deal sending the Baltimore Orioles superstar to the Dodgers was increasingly likely.
The 29-year-old Moustakas was linked to the Phillies earlier in the season. The third baseman is on a one-year deal with a mutual option for 2019 that's unlikely to get picked up. Over 91 games this year, Moustakas owns a .249/.306/.466 slash line with 19 home runs and three stolen bases.
Escobar, 29, is having a bit of a breakout for the Twins this season. In 90 contests, the infielder owns a .834 OPS with 14 homers and 35 doubles. He's eligible for free agency for the first time this offseason.
