Jake Arrieta makes the Phillies playoff contenders
By Sean Sears
Jake Arrieta and Philadelphia have agreed to a three-year deal worth $75 million, signing the veteran starter to help the club make the jump to contenders.
After an offseason where the hot stove was anything but, one of the best pitchers on the market has a home. Jake Arrieta agreed to a three-year deal with the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday, and the short-term goals of the team changed as the ink dried on his contract.
Through and through, it’s an intriguing signing for the Phillies, as the 32-year-old Arrieta comes to a young club that many see making some noise a year early than expected with his arrival. Comparisons to the Cubs deal with Jon Lester in 2015 have been made multiple times on Twitter, but now that Arrieta has decided on Philly, this deal is a massive culture shift for the Phillies.
The three-year deal Jake Arrieta has agreed to with the Philadelphia Phillies is a very revealing length. Reflects that Phillies believe they’re closer to winning than some might think. Otherwise, spending money on a guy like Arrieta in short-term would make far less sense.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 11, 2018
Taking a look at the NL East, it’s obvious that the Nationals are still the class of the division, it’s not even particularly close really. But with the uncertainty of superstar Bryce Harper and whether he’ll stick around in D.C. beyond 2018, it could create an opportunity for another club to grab ahold of the division next season.
That’s why adding Arrieta on a three-year deal as opposed to shorter deal makes sense for the Phillies, especially with the club they have this season. The former No. 7 overall pick in 2014, Aaron Nola, put it all together last season, finishing with a 3.54 ERA, an impressive 3.27 FIP, while striking out close to 10 batters per nine innings.
Arrieta and Nola are a formidable one-two combo in the Phillies rotation but isn’t enough to compete against the Nationals, Astros, Cubs, Dodgers, etc. rotations quiet yet. However, Philidelphia’s got some reinforcements coming via the minors in Sixto Sanchez and Adonis Medina.
The 19-year-old Sanchez, the Phillies top prospect and No. 26 overall prospect according to MLB Pipeline, is projected to be with the big-league club by 2019 and the organization is excited about the kid. In 67.1 IP in low A, Sanchez posted a 2.41 ERA with 64 strikeouts and only nine walks, utilizing his triple-digit fastball to hold batters to a .189 batting average against in 2017.
The other top arm in the Phillies system, Adonis Medina, is also projected to be in the majors by 2019. While not the same type of front end pitcher Sanchez is, Medina has a full repertoire of pitches to work with. With a plus fastball and changeup, along with a slider and curve he uses at times, he baffled hitters in low A last season, striking out 133 batters over 119.2 innings.
With these two talented young pitchers only a year or so away from contributing in the MLB, adding a veteran like Arrieta who has won before, gives the Phillies a championship demeanor that many young clubs lack.
The presence of 1B/C Carlos Santana helps as well, having played in the postseason the last two seasons with the Indians. But the Phillies are preparing themselves for the current season, as well as acquiring players they believe can help their budding young core make the necessary steps towards success.
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A winning culture is hard to cultivate on its own, and proven veterans are staples to all postseason teams. The Phillies are hoping that with Arrieta arriving in Philadelphia, the days of 100-loss seasons are behind them.