The Philadelphia Phillies have made a big splash in the free agent market, signing ace pitcher Aaron Nola to a seven-year, $172 million contract with a trade bonus option in either 2024 or 2025. The deal was announced on December 10th, and it is the largest contract ever given to a Phillies player.
Nola, 27, has been a mainstay in the Phillies’ rotation since 2015. He has been one of the most consistent pitchers in baseball over the past five seasons, posting an ERA of 3.24 and a WHIP of 1.14. He has also been an All-Star twice and finished in the top 10 of the Cy Young Award voting three times.
The Phillies are hoping that Nola can be the anchor of their rotation for years to come. He is coming off of a career-best season in which he posted a 2.42 ERA and 0.97 WHIP while making his third All-Star team. He also led the National League in strikeouts with 212.
The signing of Nola is a major coup for the Phillies, who have been looking to add an ace to their rotation for some time. They now have one of the best rotations in baseball, with Nola joining Zack Wheeler, Zach Eflin, and Vince Velasquez.
The Phillies have also added some much-needed depth to their bullpen with the signing of reliever Archie Bradley. Bradley is coming off of a career-best season in which he posted a 2.95 ERA and 0.94 WHIP while striking out 57 batters in just 44 innings.
The signing of Nola and Bradley shows that the Phillies are serious about competing for a championship in 2021. They have made some big moves this offseason, and they are now poised to make a run at the National League East title.
It remains to be seen how Nola will perform in his new deal, but there is no doubt that he will be a key piece of the Phillies’ rotation for years to come. With Nola and Bradley now in the fold, the Phillies are one step closer to their goal of bringing a championship back to Philadelphia.
