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Will the Phillies’ collapse affect their free-agent push?

Imagine how much more this freefall will sting if it forces Harper or Machado to think twice about playing in Philly.

Phillies' slugger Rhys Hoskins kneels after striking out against the Mets on Sept. 18.
Phillies' slugger Rhys Hoskins kneels after striking out against the Mets on Sept. 18.Read moreCHARLES FOX / Staff Photographer

DENVER — It has been six months since the Phillies ended their most recent free-agent pitch by flying Jake Arrieta to spring training on John Middleton's private jet.

The Phillies were coming off a 96-loss campaign when Arrieta signed his $75 million deal. And in the six months since, the Phillies spent 37 days in first place. They played meaningful games in September for the first time in seven years. The expectations for a season — which surely did not began with playoff aspirations — rose as the team kept winning this summer.

But then the Phillies stumbled in August and are ending the season with a historic collapse, on pace for their worst finish to a season in 76 years. Even the 1964 Phillies had a better final month. So when the Phillies begin courting free-agents in two months and Middleton fuels up his Bombardier Challenger, will the Phillies be a more attractive or less attractive destination than they were when Arrieta landed in Clearwater?

"I think that it's likely a more attractive destination because I think people are very aware of the resources that the Philadelphia Phillies have," manager Gabe Kapler said. "I don't think that there's any shortage of information on how we intend to be especially competitive in 2019."

The Phillies do have the resources — thanks to a multi-billion dollar TV deal — but so do others. When the Phillies signed Jim Thome in 2002, they simply had to beat out Cleveland's small-time offer. It likely won't be that easy this winter. When the Phillies try to woo Bryce Harper and Manny Machado, they can assume that the Yankees, Cubs, Dodgers, Giants, and other baseball high rollers will be making their pitches, too.

Those offers could be similar, which would allow Harper and Machado to pick their team instead of just simply heading to the highest bidder. And it is fair to assume that Harper or Machado might want to know what exactly happened to the Phillies this season.

"I think it's really important to not respond to, and when I say not respond I mean not evaluate based on a 45 game stretch," Kapler said. "So what's very true is that we haven't played good baseball for quite some time. You cannot argue with that fact. It's unacceptable. But it's a fact. You also cannot argue with the fact that we played very good baseball for a half-plus of the season. And finally you can't argue with the fact that we have tremendous resources and a very young and talented core group of players. So if you look at all of those things combined, I think you have an especially attractive destination."

The Phillies' freefall has not been fun, pitcher Zach Eflin said after Monday night's loss. Kapler said Tuesday afternoon that he hates to lose. The manager talked all season about playing into October. And for a time, it looked like the Phillies would be. They had the National League's second-best record on Aug. 5. It was easy to imagine the Phillies clinching a division title and then reloading for 2019 with a superstar free-agent or two.

But then the Phillies lost 30 of their next 45 games. The nosedive was painful. But how imagine how much more this freefall will sting if it forces Harper or Machado to think twice about playing in Philadelphia. The Phillies already cost themselves a chance at the postseason. And they must hope that the ramifications don't carry into the offseason.

"Every free agent player is different. Every free agent situation is different. Different players will prioritize different things. I can't put myself in the heads of every potential acquisition we could make," general manager Matt Klentak said in late July when asked if the team's performance in the second-half would be important to sell free agents on Philadelphia.

"What I will say is years and dollars are often a driving factor for decision making in free agency. But also the competitiveness of the team and the makeup of the clubhouse. We're in the middle of July and we're in first place. We've clearly been competitive this year. Obviously we're hoping to maintain this competitiveness and push into October," Klentak continued.

"I don't think it;s going to come as a shock to anybody to say we're competitive this year and on the final point about the culture in the clubhouse, ask them. Ask the guys in that room if they're enjoying themselves and what this season has been like for them.

"The players are the best salesmen for this organization as they talk to other players, as they talk to their agents about what it's like here. What I say publicly is great, but really those are the guys who are going to sell it. If they're happy here other players around the league know that."