Aaron Nola, the starting pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies, was re-signed on Sunday to a $172 million, seven-year contract. This is the most recent version of the team’s anticipated starting lineup.
Aaron Nola, a starting pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies, was re-signed by the team on Sunday afternoon for a reported $172 million.
As per ESPN’s Jeff Passan:
Right-hander Aaron Nola and the Philadelphia Phillies are in agreement on a seven-year, $172 million contract, sources tell ESPN. The deal is pending a physical. But it is done, and Nola, who has spent his whole career in Philadelphia, will remain with the Phillies.
The Phillies took action after learning that the Atlanta Braves were pursuing Nola, according to Passan. Philly, which is coming off of two World Series berths and one NLCS berth, is making a big move with this. They have solidified their starting rotation and kept Nola away from the division rivals as they chase their first World Series championship since 2009.
This past season, Nola pitched for Philadelphia, going 12-9 with a 4.46 ERA. He’s 90-71 lifetime with a 3.72. The Phillies selected him out of LSU in the first round of the 2014 MLB draft, and he has played a significant role in the team’s development.
Keeping Nola in the fold means that the rotation will probably look something like this:
Aaron Nola
Zack Wheeler
Ranger Saurez
Christopher Sanchez
While there is still time to make moves in the offseason, it is unclear if Dave Dombrowski and his staff will be able to pull off another major coup.
After taking care of Nola, the Phillies will probably focus on the bullpen.