Report: Phillies Showing Interest in Baltimore’s Zach Britton

With the asking prince for Manny Machado being " too steep" at this point, the Phillies could turn their attention to another member of the Baltimore Orioles.

According to Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadelphia, the Phillies are interested in Zach Britton and have spoken to Orioles officials about him.

At the moment, however, the Phillies find the asking price for Machado to be too steep. The Phils will keep lines of communication open with the Orioles, but their best shot of landing Machado might come in the offseason when he becomes a free agent.

In the meantime, there’s another Oriole to keep an eye on.

According to a major league source, the Phillies have interest in closer Zach Britton and have spoken about him with Orioles officials.

The 30-year old closer is a free-agent this offseason, and is coming back from a ruptured Achilles tendon, he had surgery back in December.  Since his return in mid-June, he has a 4.26 ERA in 12 2/3 innings.

Britton would give the Phillies a lefty in the bullpen that they current lack, and could be moved into the closer role, allowing Seranthony Dominguez to be used in a Andrew Miller role, pitching multiple innings, and more high-leverage situations.