AF...I disagree with your premise because getting Machado and his WAR would not be done is a vacuum, with him in the lineup you could reasonably expect a spike in the hitting performances of Hoskins, Kingery, Alfaro, Williams and perhaps 1-2 others. This likely would increase the value of almost all of them.
I know its hard to believe after so many starts and stops since 2012 [actually since Ryan Howard collapsed at home plate to end the 2011 season] but this team is a good one and definitely playoff possible...with the correct additions. I know I have friends who are fierce Dodger and Giants fans and they all tell me when they look at the Phillies they view them as a potentially dangerous club going forward.
Its easy to say they are not one player away, and in most cases I would agree with that assessment. But Machado isn't simply one player, he is one special player, quite possibly the greatest hitting acquisition this team would get in my long history as a phan [Bunning, Carlton and Halladay are the best pitchers, Lee probably 4th.] Long time Phillie phans can correct me but right now Jim Thome and Pete Rose comes to mind as the greatest hitting acquisitions the team acquired in my fandom time.
This is a Top 5-10 talent in baseball, not simply a Carlos Santana or Manny Trillo, guys that moved the index scale a bit forward but were not team changers. I think Machado is.
I also believe that the fact that Sanchez is even being mentioned as a possible is based on two facts...1] his recent elbow issue, while likely minor, exhibits the fragility of young arms and how you benefit by having lots of solid arms [which they do] over counting too much on one premier one [which Sanchez is] and 2] the desire of this team to acquire Machado.
Look, things could change rapidly, the Nats could well win the next 3 games and begin playing to their anticipated potential, the Braves might survive their very own coming Bataan Death March through mid July, the Phils could slip up. I get it.
But there is an equal chance that none of these things will happen and reports out of Baltimore are that the O's might well move MM BEFORE the All-Star break or immediately after, a mere 3 weeks away. I think it behooves the Phils to insure they don't allow a potentially lesser offer coming from LA or Chcago to get in the way.
To simply say "no way" seems short sighted and ill conceived.