I believe one thing will keep the Phils from pulling the trigger on a Machado/Harper dual signing...the potential future addition of one Mike Trout in 2021. As most of you know, I live in Orange County, Calif and am surrounded by Angels fans, many of whom I converse with often.
Almost to a Halo fan they are painfully aware that despite the Angels best financial efforts, there is a more than decent chance that Trout leaves Anaheim for Philadelphia in two years. To his credit, and simply because he is such a good guy, Trout never brings it up publicly. But they have all heard the whispers that Trout would someday love to play for the team he grew up loving...the Phillies.
Carson Wentz is one of his best friends, his wife is from the area, and playing in front of his family has always been his lifetime ambition. These are not my words, they come from Angel fans who follow him much closer than I do [I am a NL guy!]
I do believe Middleton will do everything in his financial power to sign either Harper or MM but if/when that goal is accomplished he, McPhail and Klentak are like;y to realize that should they succeed in signing both of them it may become financially unrealistic to ever think they can add Trout to the payroll.
And I continue to believe [as do many Angel fans] that Mike Trout remains the Phils end game and they will plan accordingly until or unless Trout signs an extension.