The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Wheeler, Phillies do $126M deal
Ace has led NL in strikeouts, innings in his four seasons.
Pitcher Zack Wheeler and the Philadelphia Phillies agreed Monday on a $126 million, three-year contract for 2025-27, the fourth-highest average salary in baseball history at $42 million.
The Phillies ace gets $23.5 million this year in the final season of a $118 million, fiveyear contract, one of the best free agent contracts in Phillies history.
Wheeler’s average salary trails only Los Angeles
Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani ($70 million), Texas pitcher Max Scherzer ($43.33 million) and Houston pitcher Justin Verlander ($43.33 million). The latter two signed their deals with the New York Mets.
“What it tells us is we think Zack is as good as anybody in baseball right now,” Phillies President Dave Dombrowski said. Wheeler has led the NL in strikeouts and innings during his four seasons after missing time with injuries while with the Mets from 2013-19. He also leads all pitchers in wins above replacement (WAR) while with the Phillies at 19.3, per FanGraphs. In 11 postseason games, Wheeler has a 2.42 ERA.
Dodgers: Acquired infielder Andre Lipcius from the Detroit Tigers for cash. To make room on the 40-man roster, the Dodgers transferred pitcher Clayton Kershaw to the 60-day injured list. The three-time Cy Young Award winner has said he expects to return in July or August after recovering from shoulder surgery he had in November.
Cardinals: Cy Young runner-up Sonny Gray left his spring training start against the Nationals with tightness in his right hamstring Monday after getting two outs in the second inning at West Palm Beach, Florida. The threetime All-Star had struck out two in two scoreless innings in his second spring training appearance, and he was cruising before his hamstring tightened. Gray allowed one hit and struck out one. The 34-yearold right-hander signed a $75 million, three-year contract with St. Louis after going 8-8 with a 2.73 ERA in 32 starts for the Twins last season.