Stark: Can Phillies make their payroll puzzle workable after Trea Turner mega deal? - The Athletic

But agents and teams they’ve spoken with get no sense whatsoever that the Phillies are nervous about how their payroll puzzle will fit together — in the short term or the long term. So let’s ask again: Should they be?

I posed that question to a few bright minds in rival front offices. It was a fascinating exercise.

One general manager had no second thoughts. None. He’s a fan of watching teams in his sport go “all-in” to win when they think it’s their time. So he used the word “awesome” to describe this.

I asked another executive if he thought the Phillies’ payroll structure was workable over the next few years. He, too, shot down concerns.

“All payroll structures are workable,” he said — assuming the owner’s overriding goal in life is to win.