Phillies Officially Sign Zack Wheeler

2020 Chachi New Additions #7

On Monday, the Phillies made their signing of right-handed pitcher Zack Wheeler official.  Wheeler will join Aaron Nola atop the Phillies starting rotation for at least the next five years, as he's been signed through the 2024 season for $118 million.  He crosses a BIG need off the Phillies' offseason shopping list, as they'll now turn their attention to a back of the rotation starter and bullpen help.  (As I was drafting this post, news came out of the signing of infielder Didi Gregorious.)

Wheeler went 11-8 with a 3.96 ERA over 31 starts for the Mets last season and over the past three years, he's totalled 26 wins over 77 starts.  He made his debut with the Mets in 2013 and missed all of 2015 following Tommy John surgery.  Originally drafted by the Giants, he was traded to the Mets on July 28, 2011 for Carlos Beltran - who just so happens to be the new Mets manager heading into 2020.

From a baseball card perspective, Wheeler started showing up in Bowman sets in 2009 and he made his Topps flagship debut in the 2013 Topps Update set, inexplicably showing up twice (#US50 and #US220).

Moving On - 2019-2020 Offseason

• Rob Brantly - c (9/30/19) - Elected free agency.
• Fernando Salas - rhp (9/30/19) - Elected free agency.
• Corey Dickerson - of (10/31/19) - Elected free agency.
• Tommy Hunter - rhp (10/31/19) - Elected free agency.
• Brad Miller - inf (10/31/19) - Elected free agency.
• Logan Morrison - 1b (10/31/19) - Elected free agency.
• Juan Nicasio - rhp (10/31/19) - Elected free agency.
• Sean Rodriguez - inf-of (10/31/19) - Elected free agency.
• Drew Smyly - lhp (10/31/19) - Elected free agency.
• Nick Vincent - rhp (10/31/19) - Elected free agency.
• Jose Pirela - of (11/1/19) - Released.
• Jared Hughes - rhp (11/4/19) - Club option declined, elected free agency.
• Pat Neshek - rhp (11/4/19) - Club option declined, elected free agency.
• Jason Vargas - lhp (11/4/19) - Club option declined, elected free agency.
• Jerad Eickhoff - rhp (11/4/19) - Outrighted, elected free agency.
• Phil Gosselin - inf (11/4/19) - Outrighted, elected free agency.
• Mike Morin - rhp (11/4/19) - Outrighted, elected free agency.
• Blake Parker - rhp (11/4/19) - Outrighted, elected free agency.
• Edubray Ramos - rhp - (11/4/19) - Outrighted, elected free agency.
• Maikel Franco - 3b (12/2/19) - Non-tendered, elected free agency.
• Cesar Hernandez - 2b (12/2/19) - Non-tendered, elected free agency.

New Arrivals - 2019-2020 Offseason

• Robert Stock - rhp (10/30/19) - Claimed off waivers from the San Diego Padres.
• Cristopher Sanchez - lhp (11/20/19) - Acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays for Curtis Mead.
• Trevor Kelley - rhp (12/2/19) - Claimed off waivers from the Boston Red Sox.
• Zack Wheeler - rhp (12/9/19) - Signed as a free agent formerly with the New York Mets.