📢 TOP STORY: Bad Timing for Philadelphia as the Diamondbacks’ Latest Action Sends the Phillies’ Rotation Plans Into Flux ⚡.DD
Mid-tier starters are getting pricey.
The Philadelphia Phillies‘ biggest strength at the start of the offseason was its starting pitching.
Even though they’re losing Ranger Suárez in free agency, they have four pitchers who will be in the rotation next season: Cristopher Sánchez, Zack Wheeler, JesĂşs Luzardo, and Aaron Nola.
Taijuan Walker and prospect Andrew Painter will compete for the final spot in the rotation during spring training.
If the Phillies want to add a mid-tier free agent pitcher as insurance against Wheeler or rather than using Walker, it won’t be cheap.
That’s especially true after the Arizona Diamondbacks brought back starter Merrill Kelly on a two-year, $40 million contract with a $20 million AAV earlier this week.
It’s uncertain if Wheeler will be ready for Opening Day after undergoing thoracic outlet decompression surgery in September.
If he is unavailable to pitch at the start of the year, Walker will be in the rotation.
Due to Painter’s inexperience in the majors, Walker is also Philadelphia’s best option to replace Suárez.
If Painter makes the club out of spring training, he will be the Phillies’ fifth starter.
Will the Phillies add a starting pitcher following the Diamondbacks’ contract with Merrill Kelly?
If the Phillies add another starting pitcher, they are unlikely to agree to a deal with a veteran starter that will cost them $20 million a year.
They already have an experienced starter making nearly $20 million in Walker.
He is entering the final season of his four-year contract with Philadelphia and will earn $18 million in 2026.
They would prefer to add another starter for less than $10 million.
However, that may change depending on whether the Phillies want to sign a pitcher like Tatsuya Imai.
He will command a contract for much more than a year and $10 million annually.
If they want to sign him, it will cost them.
The kind of pitcher that president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski may prefer to pursue in free agency is similar to the role that Walker has now and that Spencer Turnbull and Joe Ross had with the Phillies in 2024 and 2025, respectively.
Turnbull agreed to a one-year, $2 million contract in February 2024, and Ross signed a one-year, $4 million deal in December 2024.
The Phillies could target a pitcher who could start occasionally and also be used out of the bullpen.
Turnbull and Ross are the sort of pitchers that can be signed for one year and less than $10 million.
Philadelphia may elect not to sign another starting pitcher until sometime during spring training if they are looking for an affordable addition on a one-year contract.
After all, they don’t necessarily need to add to their rotation currently, and has other roster needs.
The Phillies need to add a starting catcher and a setup reliever for their bullpen.
Given how much starting pitching depth they have, even without Suárez, the Phillies can afford to wait on adding another pitcher unless they have a specific player they want to add to their rotation.
