3 Moves Phillies Should Make Next After Aaron Nola Extension
By Tyler Maher
3. Extend Zack Wheeler
If Philadelphia doesn't splurge on a marquee pitcher, it should pivot and give that money to Zack Wheeler instead.
With Nola re-signed, Wheeler deserves an extension as well. He's been better and more consistent than Nola over the past few seasons, going 43-25 with a 3.06 ERA and a 5.0 K/BB ratio since joining the Phillies in 2020.
Wheeler has also been incredibly clutch in the postseason, often saving his best for October. In 11 playoff appearances (10 starts), he has a 2.42 ERA with 68 strikeouts in 63 1/3 innings.
That's the type of pitcher you want at the top of your rotation and on the mound during the biggest games of the year.
Wheeler is going to be a free agent after 2024, however, and Philadelphia doesn't want to lose him for nothing. Trading him is obviously out of the question right now with the team competing for a championship in 2024, so the team would be better off extending him to keep its title window open for a few more years.
The veteran right-hander is already 33, but that's not terribly old for a pitcher. He's been durable and effective for six straight seasons now and has shown no signs of slowing down.
Extending pitchers is always risky, but Wheeler is worth the gamble.
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