The Philadelphia Phillies are reportedly interested in extending their ace and are targeting Spring Training to get it done.
Opposing clubs were interested in obtaining Aaron Nola, so the Philadelphia Phillies made the proper decision by re-signing him this winter. The Phillies want to make sure that a different arm doesn’t end up on the roster, so they intend to sign him during Spring Training even though it might happen soon.
Ken Rosenthal predicts that Philadelphia will close a deal in Spring Training that will keep Zack Wheeler on the organization.
In 2023, Wheeler, 33, had a standout season. With an ERA of 3.61, he pitched 192 innings, the third most of his career. It was his sixth consecutive season with a FIP below 3.50 thanks to his 3.15 FIP.
Wheeler experienced his finest season to date in 2021. His ERA was 2.78 after 213 1/3 innings pitched.
It’s not easy to pitch for the Phillies, but since joining the team after departing the New York Mets with a five-year, $118 million contract, the ace has been totally successful in doing so.
Wheeler’s advanced figures suggest that regression is unlikely to occur very soon. Baseball Savant reports that he had a pitching run value and a fastball run value in the 99th percentile for the previous season.
Wheeler is an arm that has demonstrated his ability to pitch in a challenging setting when it matters most. Philadelphia has little incentive to allow him to enter free agency and sign someone else who might not perform as well as he has over his four seasons with the team.
Wheeler is not worth a trade, especially considering the Phillies have had a quiet offseason. Unless they pull off an unexpected trade in the coming weeks, they don’t have a replacement for him.