Phils interested in free agents Moss, Saunders

PHILADELPHIA — The Phillies just might find another hitter before Spring Training.

Sources told MLB.com on Tuesday that the Phillies remain interested in and have maintained contact with free-agent outfielders Brandon Moss and Michael Saunders. The Phillies also have been monitoring the trade market, which includes Mets right fielder Jay Bruce.

Those sources said there is almost no chance the Phillies sign free agent Jose Bautista, even on a potential one-year contract. The Blue Jays offered Bautista a qualifying offer, so the Phillies would have to forfeit a second-round Draft pick and its accompanying bonus allotment (more than $1 million) to sign him.

• Hot Stove Tracker

That makes little sense for the rebuilding Phillies. They signed No. 1 overall pick Mickey Moniak (Phils’ No. 2 prospect) for $6.1 million last summer, nearly $3 million under his bonus allotment. The Phillies used the savings to pay second-round pick Kevin Gowdy (No. 9 prospect) $3.5 million — nearly twice the allotment for the 42nd overall pick — as well as pay other Draft picks over their slot value. To forfeit a second-round pick, plus more than $1 million in bonus money, on a one-year free agent seems to go against the Phillies’ plans.

Moss, 33, makes a …

continue reading in source mlb.mlb.com