4 Starting Pitchers for Phildelphia Phillies to Pursue in Free Agency

Who should the Philadelphia Phillies pursue in free agency to fill final spot in rotation?

Sep 29, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Philadelphia Phillies manager Rob Thomson (59) walks back to the dugout after a visit to the mound against the Washington Nationals during the sixth inning at Nationals Park. / Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images

The Philadelphia Phillies had a disappointing end to the 2024 campaign, as they were eliminated by the New York Mets in the National League Division Series. 

After an early exit in the playoffs, the Phillies will be heading back to the drawing board this offseason looking to improve the team. As one of the best teams in the National League during the regular season, there aren’t a ton of issues with Philadelphia. However, they do have a couple of areas to fix. 

While the bullpen and the outfield will get a majority of the attention this offseason, they also need to do something with their final spot in the rotation. Taijuan Walker was really poor on the mound last season, and the Phillies would be wise to have another plan in place considering how poorly he pitched. 

Even though they shouldn’t break the bank on a fourth or fifth starter, adding another arm for the rotation would be wise. Keeping money in mind, here are four potential free agents to round out the starting rotation. 

Max Scherzer

At 40 years old now, the best days are certainly behind Max Scherzer, as injuries and father time are catching up with the right-hander. However, despite missing a lot of time the last two years, he has still been fairly effective when he’s on the mound. 

For what would likely be a very cheap one-year deal, a veteran like Scherzer would likely be very interested in joining a contender like the Phillies. 

Patrick Corbin

When looking at a potential back-end of the rotation starter, it is ideal to get someone who can eat innings and save a bullpen. Patrick Corbin has certainly struggled with the Washington Nationals in recent years, but there is no denying that the guy is a workhorse on the mound. 

For the last four years, the southpaw has totaled at least 150 innings pitched each year, with three of the four years being over 170 innings pitched. Even though he might not be a star anymore, he would provide value by saving the bullpen for Philadelphia. 

Trevor Williams 

Another potential Nationals pitcher who could make sense but for different reasons is Trevor Williams. The 32-year-old missed a lot of time in 2024, but in 13 starts he was able to total a 2.03 ERA. 

Even though, in a small sample size, the right-hander looked superb, he will likely still only receive a prove-it deal this offseason, as the rest of his career hasn’t been nearly as good. Furthermore, another benefit of pursuing Williams is that he could be used as a long-man out of the bullpen if Walker can fix his issues and take the starting spot. 

Justin Verlander 

While Justin Verlander is a high-profile name, he is likely coming toward the end of his career. 2024 was a tough year for the 41-year-old, as he missed time with injuries and had an ERA over 5.00 when he was healthy. However, he is just one year removed from a solid 2023 campaign, and he still appears to be motivated to pitch. On a one-year deal, there is some potential upside to signing him.