The Philadelphia Phillies already have great arms in the rotation, but it was not enough to win a World Series. The Phillies may feel pressure to make some moves to finally get back to the World Series.
Zack Wheeler is expected to be back next year. The Phillies also have Cristopher Sánchez, Jesús Luzardo and promising young prospect Andrew Painter. Ranger Suárez is a free agent, however. The Phillies just watched the Dodgers dominate on the mound and win the World Series. The Dodgers essentially had four aces throughout the postseason.
Despite a strong rotation, the Phillies may want to get even better. Bleacher Report’s Zachary D. Rymer named the Phillies as a potential landing spot for Pittsburgh Pirates phenom Paul Skenes. Skenes is under club control through 2029, so there is still some time before he demands one of the biggest contracts in baseball.
The Pirates can afford him right now, but the team is not in a position to contend. He has no reason to sign an extension with the Pirates at a discount. The team has not shown any reason to believe they can build a contender around Skenes. Meanwhile, the Phillies are trying to win right now.
The Phillies also have a chance to pay Skenes down the line. He could be their ace for years to come. He is just 23 years old and is already a two-time All-Star and ERA champion. Through 55 career starts, he has a 1.96 ERA. He is the favorite to win the National League Cy Young Award this year as well.
A trade for Skenes would demand an unprecedented return. However, if the Pirates know they cannot win with him and have no chance of paying him, they could look to capitalize on his value. Spotrac projects Skenes to sign a 13-year, $506 million deal, and the Pirates, realistically, will not pay him that much.
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