The Phillies are about $3MM shy of the luxury tax threshold of $178MM, report Matt Gelb and Bob Brookover of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Team president David Montgomery is willing to pass that threshold for the right opportunity, he told the reporters. No National League team has paid the luxury tax since it came into effect in 2003.
Yesterday the Phillies reportedly cooled on the best hitter available, Carlos Beltran. Beltran is the trade target most likely to push the team over the luxury tax threshold.
