The Philadelphia Phillies and Zack Wheeler agreed to a three-year, $126 million contract extension on Monday. Wheeler's deal is also the highest annual salary for a contract extension ever, according to Buster Olney of ESPN. Mark Feinsand of MLB.com provided further details of the contract after the deal was announced.
“Wheeler’s extension is a straight three-year deal. He will have 10-5 rights at the end of this year, getting him full no-trade rights. There are no options in the contract, per source,” Feinsand wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Wheeler does not have any opt outs but has full no-trade rights. The odds of Philadelphia trading him would have been slim regardless, but the trade clause adds security for Wheeler nonetheless.
Let's take a closer look at the contract and give it a grade.
Zack Wheeler is an ace
Wheeler is a pitcher capable of working deep into games and eating up innings throughout the course of a season. This trait is extremely valuable in today's era of pitch counts and innings limits.
Wheeler has received National League Cy Young consideration in three of the past four seasons. In 2021, he finished second in voting, while he finished sixth in 2023.
His ability to work deep into contests while still recording impressive strikeout numbers is crucial. Wheeler is unquestionably an ace-caliber starting pitcher.
Another area of Wheeler's game that stands out is his postseason pitching ability. He's recorded a stellar 2.42 ERA and 68 strikeouts across 11 career playoff outings, via StatMuse. Wheeler clearly does not let the pressure get to him.
The Phillies are looking to contend for years to come and having pitchers like Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola who both perform well under the bright lights is of the utmost importance.
At 33 years old, Wheeler's three-year contract is understandable. Players typically start to decline in their mid-30's and perhaps the Phillies star would have been open to a four or five year contract. However, three years at a high annual salary makes sense for all parties involved.
Phillies keeping another star
Bryce Harper, Trea Turner, and Aaron Nola are among the Phillies stars who are currently signed to long-term deals. Philadelphia wanted to add superstars and build around them, and that's exactly what they have accomplished.
The Phillies have a deep roster with no shortage of talent.
Competing in the National League is extremely difficult at the moment. The Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta Braves feature two of the best rosters we have seen in a long time. However, the Phillies tend to step up in October. Even if Philadelphia finishes behind Atlanta and Los Angeles during the regular season, they will enter the playoffs with confidence as Wheeler leads the charge.
The contract itself is a win for both sides as aforementioned. Wheeler is set to receive a lucrative salary while Philadelphia will keep him on the roster for three more years. The short-term deal minimizes the risk of paying a pitcher in his mid-30's while still giving the Phillies an ace for a few more seasons.
Grading the contract
It is difficult to argue against this deal. The only element of it that could have been better for Wheeler would have been a slightly longer deal, but it's possible that he wanted a short-term contract.
Aside from that, the three-year, $126 million contract is going to benefit both Wheeler and the Phillies moving forward.
Final grade: A
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