Phillie$ are not horsing around

I RECENTLY wrote about the Mets’ current and near-future problems in the NL East and it included that the Phillies were better than expected now, have a good farm system and have shown both historically and recently that they will spend. It snuck by many that Philadelphia’s $169.25 million free-agent outlay last offseason — namely on Jake Arrieta and Carlos Santana — was the secondmost in the majors.

An executive who knows the inner workings of the organization saw that item and reminded me the Phillies “wanted Giancarlo Stanton badly” in the offseason. The Phillies talked to the Marlins and offered to pay more of the $295 million left on Stanton’s deal, but to give a lower grade of prospects than the Cardinals, Giants (who had deals in place that were rejected through Stanton’s no-trade clause) or the Yankees, who offset $52 million with Miami eating $30 million and taking the $22 million left on Starlin Castro’s deal.

Nothing came of this because Stanton, who most wanted to go to the Dodgers, said he would only accept a trade to them, the Yankees, Astros or Cubs.

But it is a reminder that since owner John Middleton assumed power in November 2016, he has made it clear to his baseball operations department that he is willing to be financially aggressive. That is why the Phillies already are viewed as the front-runners next offseason for Manny Machado in free agency and will be seen as in play for stars in areas of need.