Moments ago, Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. talked to reporters about the possiblity of acquiring a top-of-the-line starting pitcher before the July 31 trade deadline.

On any salary-related issues:

“We have some flexibility. A lot of it depends on the player that we’re talking about. But we have some flexibility. It’s not unlimited. And as you know, we have the highest payroll we’ve ever had. We’re well over $130 million, and there is a limit to what we can spend.”

On whether there are untouchables in the team’s farm system:

“There are some untouchables in our system. We feel that we’re building a pretty strong farm system. … We have to be prudent about what our future is about. It is important to win now, and we understand the importance of that. But that said, there are players we would like to keep for our future. And I would say they’re not as touchable as others.”

On whether the team is in a good position to make a big trade happen:

“I think we’re in good position to do some things overall. Like I said, I think our farm system has improved. Again, when you’re talking about doing trades of any type, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. We may think our guys are much better than they think our guys are.  We’ll try to be aggressive with the right deal. At the same time, we have to be prudent about what some of these moves might impact our future, too.”

Amaro added that he would prefer not to “subtract” from the major league roster if a blockbuster trade were to be made.

Todd Zolecki of Phillies.com was first to report.

The Phillies have yet to name a replacement for injured starting pitcher Antonio Bastardo, who was recently placed on the 15-day disabled list.

The team has scoured the trade market to no avail. Thus, it appears the Phillies will make a roster decision within the organization.

For now, J.A. Happ has been moved up a day to fill Bastardo’s schedule spot in the rotation Thursday night in the series finale against the Braves.

However, the Phils will need a fifth starter ASAP. Chances are it will be either Andrew Carpenter, who was up for a cup of coffee last month, or top prospect Carlos Carrasco, both of whom are pitching for Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

While the Phils are high on Carpenter’s potential, Carrasco is the sexier pick to fill the void in the rotation. After a sluggish start, the hard-throwing right-hander has excelled in recent outings.

Nevertheless, the Phillies will continue to look for a trade partner leading up to the July 31 trade deadline. And starting pitching remains top priority.