Philadelphia Phillies

Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Zack Wheeler said Thursday that he circled back with the New York Mets before signing a five-year, $118 million deal with Philly in December.

And the response from New York?

"It was basically just crickets when I did," he told Greg Joyce of the New York Post.

He added that he wasn't surprised by the lack of a competitive counteroffer. "Because it's them," he said. "It's how they roll."

Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen previously said "the projections we had for Zack—both short-term and long-term—didn't quite match up to the market he was able to enjoy."

Wheeler, 29, was solid yet again in 2019, finishing 11-8 with a 3.96 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 195 strikeouts in 195.1 innings. It was his second consecutive season with at least 180 innings pitched, 175 strikeouts and a sub-4.00 ERA. 

New Phillies pitcher Zack Wheeler first day for pitchers and catchers

“I think I could take the next step. Now I want bigger and better things. I want to win the Cy Young or two. Make the All-Star team. Carry us to the playoffs. Winning the World Series” 🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/qrvYIUSPc4

— John Clark (@JClarkNBCS) February 12, 2020

That made Wheeler one of the prime targets for teams looking to add starting pitching in free agency without to having pay Gerrit Cole or Stephen Strasburg. Cole famously signed a nine-year, $324 million contract with the New York Yankees this offseason, a record deal for a pitcher, while Strasburg remained in Washington with a seven-year, $245 million pact.

The Phillies pounced on Wheeler, and he suspected that a lack of organizational clarity in New York caused the club to sit out the proceedings:

"Obviously everything starts at the top and it filters down. Whether it be somebody's fault or not, it starts at the top and goes down. Maybe the top gives them the OK but lower down they don't want to do something. Or maybe up top, they don't give you the opportunity to do something but everybody else wants to do it. That's kind of how it was there at certain points. Everything was kind of jumpy because certain people would want something, others wouldn't. I don't think everyone was on the same page."

The Phillies were on the same page, however, pairing him with Aaron Nola in what manager Joe Girardi described as a "1 and a 1A" atop the rotation.

"When you look at what he's done the last few years and really throughout his career, he's continued to get better and better," Girardi said of Wheeler in December, per Todd Zolecki of MLB.com. "This is a power guy with four pitches where I think he's just starting to reach his potential. I think there is more in the tank there. I think this guy can be more dominant than he's been, and we're looking forward to seeing the top of our rotation."

The Philadelphia Phillies will retire Roy Halladay's No. 34 jersey ahead of their May 29 game against the Washington Nationals.

The date coincides with the 10-year anniversary of Halladay's perfect game against the Florida Marlins. He will be the sixth Phillies player to have his number retired by the franchise.

On May 29, the 10th anniversary of his perfect game, Roy Halladay’s number will be retired in Philadelphia: https://t.co/vOgLdrSo68 pic.twitter.com/kEB7cf7jL2

— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) February 4, 2020

Although the bulk of his career came with the Toronto Blue Jays, Halladay left a big impression in Philadelphia over his four seasons with the Phillies.

He went 55-29 with a 3.25 ERA in 103 starts. The right-hander won the National League Cy Young Award in 2010 and was runner-up in 2011, and he threw a no-hitter in the opening game of the 2010 NLDS against the Cincinnati Reds.

"Roy Halladay made an indelible mark on Phillies history with so many spectacular moments, including his perfect game and postseason no-hitter," executive vice president David Buck said of Halladay in a statement. "His impact on the game was evident by his induction into the Hall of Fame. We are honored to have Roy join an elite group of players to have their numbers retired by the Phillies."

Halladay died in a plane crash in November 2017.

He was enshrined as a Hall of Famer on the first ballot in 2019. His plaque doesn't feature the Blue Jays or Phillies logo. His family explained the bond he enjoyed with each franchise made it impossible to choose one over the other.

The Blue Jays retired Halladay's No. 32 jersey in March 2018.

Philadelphia will also unveil a statue of the eight-time All-Star as part of his jersey retirement ceremony.

The Philadelphia Phillies now have a big bat to go with the big arm they plucked off the free-agent market.

A day after announcing their five-year, $118 million deal with right-hander Zack Wheeler, the Phillies reportedly agreed to a one-year contract with shortstop Didi Gregorius on Tuesday.

Joel Sherman of the New York Post was first to report on the pact, while Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadelphia was first with the terms:

Confirming @Joelsherman1 Phillies have signed Didi Gregorius for 1 year, $14 million

— Jim Salisbury (@JimSalisbury215) December 10, 2019

According to Jon Heyman of MLB Network, Gregorius might have been able to find a multiyear deal for $14-15 million per season. However, it's not surprising he chose to bet on himself by accepting a one-year "pillow" contract.

After all, his 2019 season was one to forget. After undergoing Tommy John surgery in October 2018, Gregorius didn't return to the New York Yankees lineup until June 7. Over 82 games, he mustered only a .718 OPS, 16 home runs and 0.6 wins above replacement, according to Baseball Reference.

Clearly, what both Gregorius and the Phillies are hoping for in 2020 is a performance more akin to what he did for the Yankees from 2016 to 2018.

In those three seasons, Gregorius increased his OPS from .751 to .796 to .829 and his home runs from 20 to 25 to 27. When combined with his solid glove work, he was worth a solid 10.2 WAR.

Because Gregorius will turn 30 in February, there's room for doubt as to how much prime production he has left in him. But at the least, he won't have to shake off any rust in 2020. He's also walking into a situation that should make him feel comfortable.

According to C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic, the opportunity to reunite with former New York manager Joe Girardi was one of the things that drove Gregorius' decision to sign with Philadelphia:

From what I’ve been told, #Reds were in it with Gregorius to the end, but the comfort level with Joe Girardi helped make the decision

— C. Trent Rosecrans (@ctrent) December 10, 2019

Gregorius should also enjoy hitting at Citizens Bank Park. Even without an ultrashort porch in right field, it still outranked Yankee Stadium as a friendly environment for left-handed sluggers in 2019.

If all goes well, the Phillies will get more out of Gregorius than they did out of their shortstops last season. The bar there is 1.6 WAR, which a healthy, productive version of Gregorius can clear with plenty of room to spare.

In addition to Gregorius, the core of the Phillies lineup will also feature Bryce Harper, J.T. Realmuto, Jean Segura (who'll presumably slide from short to second base), Rhys Hoskins and Andrew McCutchen, the last of whom should be recovered from a torn ACL. That core should drive an improvement on the modest 4.8 runs per game the Phillies scored in 2019.

On the pitching side of things, Aaron Nola and Wheeler could form one of the best one-two punches in all of Major League Baseball. Nola needs only to live up to his spectacular 2018 season, while Wheeler needs only to harness his extraordinary upside.

With their new manager, ace and shortstop in place, the Phillies should avoid a third straight .500-ish season. Something more like 90 wins is in order.

Whether they're good enough to be a 95- or 100-win team capable of a spirited run at the World Series, however, is debatable.

While there's plenty of potential packed into the core of their lineup and the top of their rotation, there's still a tangible lack of depth around both. Rather than trust that things will work out, the Phillies should have it in mind to altogether erase those shortcomings.

Fortunately for them, they still have options aplenty. Certainly the biggest fish is ace right-hander Gerrit Cole, who MLB Network's Jon Heyman says has the Phillies' interest:

Interested teams are summiting offers on Gerrit Cole by early next week. Top of market could move fast. Everyone who’s serious understands it will be a record deal for a pitcher (current record holder: David Price, 217M). In addition to NYY, teams linked: LAA, LAD, PHI, TEX

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) December 7, 2019

Instead of handing third base over to Scott Kingery or newcomer Josh Harrison, the Phillies might sign Anthony Rendon or Josh Donaldson or even pull off a trade for 2016 National League MVP Kris Bryant. Per ESPN's Jeff Passan, he's one of many core stars whom the Chicago Cubs are willing to move.

Because the Phillies have thinned out their farm system and pushed their 2020 luxury-tax bill within $2.6 million of the $208 million threshold, they might have reservations about pursuing any more seismic transactions.

Or, they could realize they're not in a position to take any chances. The NL East was the strongest division in the Senior Circuit in 2019, and it's set to reclaim that title.

Even without any major new additions, the New York Mets can at least defend their 86-win 2019. Elsewhere, the Washington Nationals have retained Stephen Strasburg, Howie Kendrick and Yan Gomes, and the Atlanta Braves have spent tens of millions of dollars on Will Smith, Cole Hamels and a variety of depth pieces.

In the face of all this, the Phillies' early wins with Wheeler and Gregorius should merely be the beginning of a far grander offseason victory. The more items they check off their shopping list, the further they can rise above mediocrity.

   

Stats courtesy of Baseball Reference and Baseball Prospectus. Payroll data courtesy of Roster Resource.

The Philadelphia Phillies and shortstop Didi Gregorius reached an agreement Tuesday, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post.

Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadelphia reported it's a one-year, $14 million contract.

Gregorius hit 22 home runs across his first four years in the big leagues, including time with the Cincinnati Reds, Arizona Diamondbacks and New York Yankees. He discovered his power stroke during his second season with the Yanks in 2016 and proceeded to hit 72 homers across the next three years.

His 2019 campaign got off to a late start after he underwent Tommy John surgery. He returned in June and finished the year with a mediocre .718 OPS and 16 longballs in 82 appearances.

The 29-year-old Netherlands native said in October he never found top form during the second half of the season and into the playoffs.

"Some days it's good, some days not," Gregorius told reporters about his timing.

The veteran infielder provides value based on his pop at a position where that's a limited commodity, but his lack of consistent production after his return from injury created uncertainty heading into the offseason.

Any decrease in power would be a major blow to his upside since he only owns a .313 career on-base percentage and rates as a negative defender in defensive runs saved, per FanGraphs.

Gregorius could provide a major boost for the Phillies offense if he's back to full strength and gets his timing worked out. An entire offseason in which he can focus on his game instead of recovering from injury should help him in that quest.

He should immediately slot in as the starting shortstop and hit in the middle of the Philly lineup behind Bryce Harper and Rhys Hoskins.

The Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies have had trade talks regarding third baseman Kris Bryant, according to Bruce Levine of WSCR-AM, though there is "nothing there at the moment" and Bryant's "service time grievance" remains an issue in any talks.

MLB Network's Jon Heyman added more context to the situation, noting the grievance is "a hurdle to a Bryant trade. Arbitrator has to decide whether he's a free agent in one year or two, and that decision could still be several weeks away. Of course always possible contingent deals could be struck depending on th

It's no secret that the Phillies are keen to improve in the infield. Heyman reported earlier on Monday that shortstop Didi Gregorius is expected to sign as a free agent this winter in the $14 million to $15 million range per year, with the Phillies among the teams interested.

And Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported on Friday that the Phils, "luxury tax be damned, plan to strongly pursue free-agent third baseman Anthony Rendon, with third baseman Josh Donaldson as a potential fall-back plan."

He added that Rendon had become the team's priority in free agency after also signing starting pitcher Zack Wheeler to a five-year, $118 million deal. 

As Nightengale opined, adding infield help like Rendon would allow the team to potentially move Scott Kingery to center field full time or could free them up to trade shortstop Jean Segura for pitching help. It could also signal a willingness to move top prospect Alec Bohm for a top rotational option. 

Rumored for Moustakas. Linked to Rendon and Donaldson. Talked about Bryant.

It’s pretty clear the Phillies don’t believe in the Bohm at 3B, Rhys at 1B corner combo long term. Not sure which they are more uneasy about, but it’s not hard to connect the dots.

— Joe Giglio (@JoeGiglioSports) December 9, 2019

Trading for Bryant would fulfill a similar purpose. While the 27-year-old is a step down from Rendon, he still hit .282 this past season with 31 homers, 77 RBI, 108 runs and a .908 OPS. Bryant is a rather pedestrian fielder, however, with a minus-1.1 defensive WAR at third base this past season. 

Compare that to Rendon, who hit .319 with 34 homers, 126 RBI, 117 runs, a 1.010 OPS and 0.3 defensive WAR at third.

Rendon is the better player, no doubt, but Bryant would be an excellent consolation prize if the Phillies choose to go that route (assuming the Cubs continue to suggest behind closed doors that they are looking to cut payroll, as The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reported Sunday, and actually move Bryant). 

Regardless, it appears the Phillies are going to busy yet again this offseason after making a big splash a year ago. That only resulted in an 81-81 record, and Philadelphia appears set to be aggressive yet again to build around a core of Bryce Harper, Aaron Nola, J.T. Realmuto, Rhys Hoskins and Wheeler.

The Philadelphia Phillies are reportedly set to "strongly pursue" former Washington Nationals third baseman Anthony Rendon on the free-agent market.

Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported Friday the Phillies have made Rendon their "No. 1 target" despite the knowledge their payroll would likely go over the $208 million luxury-tax threshold to sign him.

Philly views Josh Donaldson, who was named the 2019 National League Comeback Player of the Year for hitting 37 home runs with the Atlanta Braves, as its backup plan on the open market, per Nightengale.

Rendon is the top hitter available after a monster 2019 campaign. He posted a 1.010 OPS, which ranked sixth in MLB, to go along with 34 home runs in 146 games for the Nats. He added three postseason homers to help Washington win the World Series.

The Phillies, who made a major splash in free agency last year highlighted by the addition of outfielder Bryce Harper, already signed starting pitcher Zack Wheeler to a five-year, $118 million contract this offseason.

They are aiming to end a playoff drought that extends back to 2012. There was a steady decline after winning a championship in 2008 as they lost in the 2009 World Series, 2010 NLCS and 2011 NLDS before the eight straight playoff-less seasons.

Now it sounds like ownership is willing to go over the luxury-tax threshold to complete the turnaround.

Philadelphia finished in fourth place in the NL East during the 2019 campaign. They ended 16 games behind the division-champion Atlanta Braves and 12 off the pace of the wild-card and eventual title-winning Nats.

Rendon would represent a significant upgrade over Scott Kingery, the team's current projected starter at third, and slot in alongside Harper, catcher J.T. Realmuto and first baseman Rhys Hoskins to give the club one of the most dangerous middle of the orders in MLB.

In addition, signing a player of the 2019 All-Star's caliber while also taking him away from an NL East rival could help shift the balance of power in the division.

No signing should be considered imminent, however, as Nightengale noted the Phillies haven't held a face-to-face discussion with Rendon yet ahead of next week's winter meetings.

Free-agent pitcher Zack Wheeler has officially agreed to a reported five-year, $118 million deal with the Philadelphia Phillies, the team announced Monday.

ESPN's Jeff Passan first reported the agreement Dec. 4. Buster Olney of ESPN reported earlier that the Phillies had emerged as the top bidders in the Wheeler sweepstakes, with the Chicago White Sox and Cincinnati Reds also in the running.

According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the White Sox offered Wheeler more money than the Phillies:

#WhiteSox’s offer to Wheeler was for MORE than the $118M he will receive from the #Phillies, sources tell The Athletic. As @MarcCarig said, Wheeler’s wife is from New Jersey, and that proximity was an important consideration in his decision.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 4, 2019

The 29-year-old proved he was healthy in 2018 after missing two years following Tommy John surgery. He showed plenty of promise by going 12-7 with a 3.31 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP in 29 starts, including a 9-1 record with a 1.68 ERA and a .179 average against in 11 second-half outings.

Though he struggled early in 2019 as he missed time with a right shoulder impingement, he responded by putting together a strong second half for the second consecutive year. He went 5-2 with a 2.83 ERA in 12 starts after the All-Star break.

He went 11-8 with a 3.96 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP while establishing new career highs in starts (31), innings (195.1) and strikeouts (195).

Injuries have taken a toll on Wheeler through the years, but when healthy, the right-hander has shown he's an effective starting pitcher, one who can lead a rotation when he hits a groove. He has five big league seasons on his resume, and he has posted a sub-4.00 ERA in four of them.

The Phillies have been aggressive in making big splashes in effort to end a playoff drought that dates back to 2011. In recent years, they have added Jake Arrieta, Andrew McCutchen, Bryce Harper, David Robertson and Jay Bruce.

Last season, Philadelphia (81-81) recorded its first non-losing season since 2012. Injuries played a major factor as the Phillies failed to live up to sky-high expectations following the Harper signing. However, so did starting pitching. The team's rotation ranked 17th in the majors with a 4.64 ERA.

Aaron Nola (3.87 ERA, 18 quality starts) and Zach Eflin (4.13 ERA, 14 quality starts) proved to be effective arms, while Arrieta (4.64 ERA) struggled as he dealt with a bone spur in his pitching elbow. He declined to opt out of his contract, giving him the opportunity to try to bounce back once healthy.

Having spent his entire career in the NL East, Wheeler has had the opportunity to pitch at Citizens Bank Park frequently. He is 3-1 with a 3.27 ERA in seven career starts at the stadium.

There was no shortage of interest in Wheeler as teams lined up for his services. Rosenthal reported Tuesday the pitcher had already received at least one $100 million offer.

Ultimately, it seems Wheeler felt Philadelphia presented the best offer.

The Philadelphia Phillies have reportedly emerged as the top bidders for free-agent starting pitcher Zack Wheeler.

According to ESPN's Buster Olney, the Cincinnati Reds, Chicago White Sox and Texas Rangers are among the other teams in the mix. Sources expect Wheeler to net a deal in the neighborhood of at least five years and $100 million.

Wheeler's previous team, the New York Mets, are reportedly not believed to be in the running to re-sign him.

The 29-year-old Wheeler is coming off two strong seasons after struggling in 2017 on the heels of missing two seasons following Tommy John surgery.

After going 12-7 with a 3.31 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and 179 strikeouts in 182.1 innings in 2018, he went 11-8 with a 3.96 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 195 strikeouts in 195.1 innings pitched last season. He set career highs in both strikeouts and innings pitched.

Zack Wheeler, Painting with Flames (99mph Fastball). 🔥👨‍🎨🎨🖼️🖌️ pic.twitter.com/Hq47RwvlQB

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) April 13, 2019

Gerrit Cole and Stephen Strasburg are the top two starting pitchers on the open market, but Wheeler is part of the next tier, and there may be some belief that he has untapped potential since he technically only has five years of MLB experience.

Few teams are in more desperate need of pitching than the Phillies. There were high hopes entering last season after they acquired Bryce Harper, J.T. Realmuto and Jean Segura, but they went just 81-81 and missed the playoffs for the eighth consecutive year, mainly because of their pitching.

Philadelphia's team ERA of 4.53 was 17th in MLB last season, and its 4.64 starters' ERA was also 17th. The Phillies do have an ace in Aaron Nola, but of the seven other pitchers who started at least 10 games for them last season, all had an ERA north of 4.00.

Wheeler would give the Phillies the No. 2 starter they desperately need, especially with Jake Arrieta on a club option for the 2021 season.

The Reds, White Sox and Rangers could all benefit from Wheeler as well, but they seem to be further away from contention than the Phillies. As for the Mets, they risk losing a talented starter who could blossom elsewhere if he leaves, but with two-time NL Cy Young winner Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard and Marcus Stroman already in the fold, starting pitching is the least of their concerns.

The Philadelphia Phillies' need for help in the starting rotation has put them in the market for free agent Madison Bumgarner.

Per MLB Network's Jon Paul Morosi, the Phillies are "actively interested" in the four-time All-Star:

Is MadBum on the #Phillies' offseason wish list? #MLBNHotStove pic.twitter.com/wvLGqPZCfq

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) November 22, 2019

Morosi later confirmed the Phillies and Bumgarner's representatives have been in contact. 

Pitching has been the focal point of Philadelphia's offseason plans coming off a disappointing 81-81 record in 2019. 

Phillies starters ranked 17th in MLB with a 4.64 ERA in 2019. Aaron Nola and Zach Eflin were their only pitchers who threw more than 150 innings. 

The Athletic's Matt Gelb reported in October that Phillies management was meeting to map out their free-agent agenda, which would include one plan to sign Gerrit Cole and one that didn't include the hard-throwing right-hander. 

Cole could be in line to get the richest deal ever for a starting pitcher. The current record-holder is David Price's seven-year, $217 million contract from the Boston Red Sox. 

Bumgarner will come with a cheaper price tag than Cole. The southpaw tied his career high with 34 starts last season for the San Francisco Giants. He posted a 3.90 ERA with 203 strikeouts in 207.2 innings. 

The Philadelphia Phillies are reportedly interested in free-agent shortstop Didi Gregorius, who spent the past five years with the New York Yankees. 

Jon Morosi of the MLB Network reported the Phillies are trying to sign Gregorius with the intent of either trading Jean Segura or moving him to a different position.

Gregorius saw his OPS increase in each of his first four years with the Yankees. It rose from .688 in 2015, his debut campaign in pinstripes after a trade from the Arizona Diamondbacks, to a career high of .829 in 2018. He also hit 72 home runs from 2016 through 2018.

The 29-year-old Netherlands native didn't play his first game this year until June as he recovered from Tommy John surgery. Although his power remained with 16 homers in 82 appearances, his overall performance at the plate dropped off as he posted a .717 OPS.

In October, he told Tom Verducci of Sports Illustrated his lack of plate discipline was the issue.

"I've been doing the same work I've been doing since I got here," Gregorius said. "I didn't try to change anything, just try to swing at strikes. That's one thing for me right now and be patient. I'm just all over the place swinging at almost every ball. I think that's one thing, and be aggressive in the strike zone."

Meanwhile, the Phillies are looking to upgrade their lineup after finishing 14th in runs scored en route to an 81-81 record that left them eight games short of the playoffs.

Segura, 29, posted a .280/.323/.420 triple-slash line with 12 homers and 10 stolen bases in 144 games. Along with 905 appearances at shortstop, he's also played 142 games at second base during an eight-year career that included stops with the Los Angeles Angels, Milwaukee Brewers, Seattle Mariners and D-Backs.

If Philly shifts him to second base, it would likely make Cesar Hernandez available for trade.

Jon Heyman of the MLB Network reported the Cincinnati Reds are also interested in Gregorius.

The shortstop started his career in the Reds organization, but played just eight games with the club.