Jake Arrieta is still on the free agent market, and the Philadelphia Phillies could sign him.
The Philadelphia Phillies are a club on the cusp of contention. They are a team that has deep pockets but are wary of using them. The Phillies signed first baseman Carlos Santana to a multi-year deal earlier in the offseason, giving the lineup some pop. There could be more moves coming for the Phillies, who have been waiting for dead money from their last core to come off the books.
Now, another free-agent signing may be in the works according to FanRag Sports insider Jon Heyman.
Phillies and Jake Arrieta are having dialogue. Phils people (MacPhail, Klentak, Jordan, etc.) love him from their days in Baltimore together. Phils would prefer shorter term tho, so there’s a gap.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) February 20, 2018
So, the Phillies may be interested in a shorter-term deal. Arrieta would be the ace of their staff and is a veteran presence that could elevate the younger pitchers. With that said, Philadelphia should swoop in and sign the righty. His ERA has increased over the past couple of years, but he still flashes his ace potential. The club might expedite their competitive window with him because they’re adding a player with electric stuff.
Look at what the San Diego Padres did when they signed Eric Hosmer. The club is still a ways away from contention, but they wanted to add a veteran presence. That is what the Phillies should do, as they are closer than the Padres to contending. So, they should sign him if the cost and years aren’t too high.
Interested teams could be holding off because of his 2018 projections.
- Steamer projection: 11-10, 179 innings, 4.19 ERA
For some, although he has flashed dominance, teams don’t want to back up the truck to sign players more than 30 years old. Also, a lot of clubs are trying to save up for next year’s loaded free-agent class. But the Phillies are a team that boasts the lowest payroll in the league, so there is a ton of money available.
That will absolutely help them next offseason when Bryce Harper and Manny Machado are available. For now, though, the club should make a run at Arrieta.
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Overall, the Phillies are a team that can augment their young core with a veteran presence. They are a big-market team, so the signing shouldn’t hinder them long-term. If the club wants to speed up the rebuild, signing Arrieta could do that and more.