Phillies Sign Pitcher Zack Wheeler To $118 Million Deal

PHILADELPHIA, PA — The Phillies have addressed one of their most dire needs this offseason, inking free agent starting pitcher Zack Wheeler to a long-term contract, the team has confirmed.

Wheeler, who has pitched for the division rival New York Mets for the first five years of his career, agreed to a five-year, $118 million contract with the Phillies.

Wheeler, 29, has been widely cited as the third best available starter on the free agent market this winter, behind generational talents Stephen Strasburg and Gerrit Cole, both of whom remain unsigned.

As the Phillies' first major addition of the offseason, Wheeler Philadelphia a very solid front two in the rotation, as he'll slot behind ace Aaron Nola. Wheeler was hotly pursued by several other teams including the Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati Reds, and Texas Rangers, but the Phillies deep pockets, willingness to spend, and competitive roster presumably helped catapult their bid for the fireballer's services.

According to MLB Insider Ken Rosenthal, other teams, including the White Sox, offered Wheeler more money, but Wheeler still chose Philadelphia, in part because his wife's family is from New Jersey.

Jake Arrieta and Zach Eflin stand as the team's next two rotation probabilities, as this point, with major question marks surrounding their other options, Vince Velasquez and Nick Pivetta, after their performances last season. It seems highly likely the Phillies will attempt to land at least one more high profile starter this winter.

At just 29, youth is certainly on Wheeler's side when compared to many major league pitchers. Since missing the 2015 and 2016 seasons due to injury, Wheeler's also been a picture of health the last two years, throwing 182 and 195 innings in 2018 and 2019, respectively.

In four of his five seasons, he's also demonstrated consistency, with an ERA in the mid to high 3s. While he has not quite turned in a true ace season, he's considered a strong number 2 or 3 pitcher, with the potential for more: his fastball was among the hardest in all of baseball in 2019, averaging 96.8 and reaching as high as 100.6, according to Fangraphs.