The Philadelphia Phillies are apparently interested in signing right-hander Zack Wheeler once more after losing out on free agent starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

As stated in an MLB.com article:

Apart from comparatively minor improvements, insiders stated that extending the contract of star Zack Wheeler is the top goal. It’s something they’ve always scheduled.

Since Wheeler is 33 years old, the length of a deal he may receive is unknown, but it would appear that the team would need to offer him a three- or four-year contract in order to convince him to forgo free agency.

The veteran has played in nine separate major league seasons. With the New York Mets, he made his major league debut in 2013. He pitched in 2014 and was sidelined by injury for the entirety of 2015 and 2016.

Before the COVID 2020 season, he inked a contract with the Phillies, and in 2022, he assisted the team in winning the World Series.

Six seasons have seen him win double digit games; the most recent season saw him go 13-6. He is 87-63 with a 3.45 ERA in his career. In the 2021 campaign, he was selected to the All-Star team.

The amount of money that remains in the Phillies’ budget is unknown. They already have long-term contracts in place for Bryce Harper, Trea Turner, Aaron Nola, Kyle Schwarber, and Nick Castellanos. The organisation is also interested in perhaps renegotiating Harper’s contract.