Potential Replacements If Philadelphia Phillies Lose Nola In Offseason
Aaron Nola has been one of the faces of the Philadelphia Phillies since he was selected with their seventh overall pick in the 2014 MLB Draft. He made his debut a year later becoming the first Phillies pitcher since 1989 to appear in a major league game the season after being drafted.
Since that moment, he's been a staple in the Philadelphia starting rotation. He has a career record of 89-70 with an ERA of 3.71. He's pitched over 200 innings in three out of his eight full seasons with the potential to hit that this year.
In 2019, Nola signed a four-year, $45 million contract that ends at the conclusion of this season. He's one of the best players that will hit the free agency market with many teams eyeing him as an addition to their roster.
It's unclear at the moment where the Phillies' front office stands on resigning the 30-year-old. It's hard to imagine that they wouldn't want him back, but depending on how robust the market is for him financially, they could realistically go their separate directions.
If that happens, there are some good pitchers who will be available in the offseason that Philadelphia an target.
One is already on the roster in Michael Lorenzen. Since acquiring him at the trade deadline, he has put together two spectacular starts out of his three with the Phillies. Depending on how he closes the season, he could be a prime target to resign.
However, even with resigning Lorenzen, they'll need to add more starting pitchers to boost their rotation.
Jack Flaherty, Jordan Montgomery and Julio Urias are the big names available. All three players are under the age of 31-years-old and provide tremendous upside.
Flaherty is a boom or bust pitcher which is similar to what they're currently getting in Nola. His ERA has ballooned since returning from multiple injuries, but that could provide a "buy low" spot if he doesn't have great outings for the Baltimore Orioles this season.
Urias is a gem hitting the market this year. The left hander has a career ERA of 3.02 with two seasons of under 3.00 since becoming a starter in 2021. He'll likely command a big contract, so the front office will have to be sure he's returned to his high end since being sidelined by a hamstring injury.
Montgomery is another left hander who has been spectacular the past three seasons. Since 2021, his highest ERA was 3.83 with the New York Yankees. Since being acquired by the Texas Rangers at the trade deadline, he's posted a 2-1 record with an ERA of 1.73 in four starts.
If Philadelphia is not going to bring back Nola, these are three starting pitcher options that should be at the top of their list.
More From SI's Inside The Phillies:
- Phillies Star Bryce Harper Doesn't Hold Back on Thoughts About Joe Girardi
- How Mike Trout Will Join the Phillies
- Could Bryce Harper's Favorite MLB Player Join the Philadelphia Phillies in 2023?
- Could The Phillies Soon Be Playing in Wawa Park?
- Bryce Harper-Obsessed Japanese Baseball Star Wants to Play for Phillies
- Six Philadelphia Phillies Declare Free Agency
- Rumored Phillies Free Agent Target Just Opted Out of Contract
- Jimmy Rollins Describes Disrespectful Treatment by Ryne Sandberg
- Phillies Release 2023 Regular Season Schedule
- Picking the Phillies' All-Time Single Season Lineup
