MLB Rumors: Yamamoto opt out, Phillies pitching plans, J.D. Martinez suitor
- Yoshinobu Yamamoto has an opt out in his contract.
- The Philadelphia Phillies could target an ace soon.
- A JD Martinez suitor has emerged.
By Curt Bishop
MLB Rumors: Phillies monitoring pitching market
The Philadelphia Phillies were quick to re-sign Aaron Nola, giving him a seven-year, $172 million contract to stay in the City of Brotherly Love.
With Zack Wheeler and Ranger Suarez accompanying Nola in the Phillies rotation, the team may be done adding starting pitching.
However, Jon Heyman of MLB Network pumped the brakes on that narrative, saying that the Phillies are still looking to bolster their rotation and view Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery as potential fits.
The latest on the two southpaws atop the starting pitcher market 👀@JonHeyman joins #HighHeat to discuss potential landing spots for Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery. pic.twitter.com/TDrpjiup0f
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) December 29, 2023
Snell won his second Cy Young Award last season, posting a 2.25 ERA with the San Diego Padres. Montgomery, on the other hand, spent the season with the St. Louis Cardinals and Texas Rangers. After being acquired from the Cardinals, Montgomery played a key role in the Rangers run to their first World Series title in franchise history.
Both left-handers would fit seamlessly in the Phillies rotation. Philadelphia is already a legitimate World Series contender, but if they add one of the two remaining southpaws, they could potentially challenge the Dodgers for National League supremacy despite Los Angeles' big moves this winter.
The Phillies won 90 games and earned the top Wild Card spot in the NL.