The Phillies hammered out their second recent nine-figure pitching investment this morning. Philadelphia’s three-year, $126MM extension with Zack Wheeler follows their $172MM guarantee over seven seasons to retain Aaron Nola in free agency. There’s been chatter about the possibility of adding the defending NL Cy Young winner to form an elite trio, but that has always seemed like a stretch — even for a franchise that spends as aggressively on star talent as the Phillies do.
USA Today’s Bob Nightengale wrote over the weekend that the Phils had interest in Snell if he takes a short-term contract. However, Matt Gelb of The Athletic reported differently this afternoon. According to Gelb, the Phillies have not “seriously discussed” a pursuit of Snell, regardless of the contract length required.
Snell declined a qualifying offer from the Padres at the beginning of the offseason. Gelb suggests the Phils weren’t interested in signing a player who rejected a QO, which would require them to forfeit their second and fifth picks in the 2024 draft and $1MM in bonus pool space for international amateurs. Philadelphia did relinquish their right to a compensatory pick by re-signing Nola, though that would have been only one draft choice that fell after the fourth round. (Snell is the only of the seven players who declined the QO who remains unsigned.)
Even independent of the draft compensation, the Phillies haven’t seemed a great fit for Snell since they retained Nola. Philadelphia has $246MM in player commitments for the upcoming season, as calculated by RosterResource. That’s a little north of last year’s $243MM franchise-record Opening Day mark. The Phils have nearly $262MM in competitive balance tax commitments. They’re going to exceed the CBT for a third consecutive season, leading to higher penalties as a three-time payor.
Philadelphia is already set to pay roughly $13MM in luxury taxes. Further additions either during the offseason or around the deadline will add to that mark. The Phils would pay a 62% tax on their approximate next $15MM in spending. That’d be followed by a 95% charge on the following $20MM and a 110% tax on any money thereafter.
A short-term contract for Snell would assuredly come with a lofty average salary, heightening the CBT commitments. A $35MM annual value, as a hypothetical, would add around $28MM to Philadelphia’s tax bill on top of the money going to Snell. It would also vault the Phils past the $277MM line that marks the third tier of CBT penalization, pushing their top pick in the 2025 draft back 10 spots in the process. A longer-term commitment could soften the CBT hit but would add another extended pitching investment to the Nola, Wheeler and Taijuan Walker contracts — which all run through 2026 or later.
Every team would benefit from installing Snell into their rotation in the short term. The Phillies have a strong starting five already, though. Wheeler, Nola, Ranger Suárez, Walker and Cristopher Sánchez is a good group. Philadelphia took a flier on Spencer Turnbull as a long man/sixth starter and added Kolby Allard and Max Castillo as further rotation depth. Prospects Mick Abel and Griff McGarry are higher ceiling options who could make their respective big league debuts in 2024. Andrew Painter is likely to miss all of this season recovering from Tommy John surgery, yet he should be a factor in the ’25 starting staff.
Classic Bob…
Ya Matt said Bobs a liar !
Nice try Boras.
Hopefully Boras remembers to mail Nightengale his cheque
Now Hwyman comes in with mystery team is interested in Snell.
Meanwhile Farhan waits patiently with that Snell eating grin on his face.
Heyman’s Philly contribution was to educate us on the Arson Nola signing earlier this offseason.
But have they at least gossiped about him a bit over the water cooler?
They certainly did discuss him, but only jokingly.
Go Phillies. 95+ wins, and a WS title in 24
Honestly I think the Phils do better as an underdog 91 wins and a WS appearance
I don’t want to agree with you because you’re a Mets fan, but I can’t find any fault in your logic. Lol
Haha Phils got a good squad and really only have to compete with ATL for the division. Miami if things break right compete for a WC, Mets stink and so does Washington.
I’d love a Phillies vs Yankees rematch. Would be good for baseball. Watch the Dodgers win 110 games and get swept in the division series.
Dodgers Yankees world series a lot better for baseball
No one wants 2-time Cy Young winner, Blake Snell. I guess he’ll have to sign with a team in the Mexican league, like other greats have recently done.
OY
Just like Chapman didn’t get an MLB contract, right?
Back to mute, troll who just posts idiocy to get responses
@filihok
Why would you take me off mute? You’re the one who didn’t want to reply to me and now you want to? You seem to have a love for me Haha!
Personally, I don’t care if someone mutes me. But I’m glad that I have an admirer.
Like anyone cares if he mutes them. It’s a badge of honor.
filihok tends to only comment around here in the form of replying to other people telling them how stupid they are, or if they produce their own original non-reply comment, it’s to declare how stupid teams/players/owners/other commenters in general are.
Maybe the quota of suckers has already been filled by the Giants and Cubs. It appears not many teams want to guarantee him longer term big money with an opt out after the first year.
Lol, are the A’s actually Blake Snell’s agent. What a show..
Let’s face it. While Blake Snell is extremely talented, he’s not what I consider to be a true ace. A true “Ace” is someone who you can depend on to pitch 7-8 innings in important games. Blake Snell has averaged under 5.1 innings pitched for his entire career as a MLB starter. Even with his Cy Young results, this puts a ton of pressure on his team’s bullpen, 30+ times per year. When having a good night, you expect your Ace to perform well and give his bullpen a breather. Snell never does this. I believe Snell has gone 8 innings ONE TIME in his entire career!
This is why teams aren’t throwing a bag of money at him. Again, he is an excellent pitcher but not worth nearly as much as the true horses out there like Cole, Wheeler, prime Verlander, prime Scherzer etc. who can throw back to back 8 inning gems without breaking a sweat. Snell will end up getting paid by someone but it’s going to be a much smaller contract than he and Boras were hoping for. Teams realize he’s just not worth true Ace money.
Every accusation is a confession, or something like that.
Reading the title of this article makes me wonder what kind of silly discussions they’ve had about him.
Saying Blake Snell over and over while sucking air from helium balloons
Trying to buy a title like the Yankees,dodgers
Rangers probably the best example of that.
Wow…this after endless MLB Traderumors articles about how the Phillies were all in on Snell……
It’s almost like different reporters say different things…
I was thinking the same thing. They just contradicted themselves…comical.
That or Nightingale was wrong… again.
A lil of both…
Most of the.posts.here are summaries of articles from elsewhere. Can’t contradict yourself when you are.reporting someone elses.opinion.
Nah…these aren’t summaries. Some of these tell the player’s whole life story. But I get your point, despite all the extra periods.
Blake Snell’s initial ask was so GINORMOUS and outlandish, it probably sent half of MLB running for cover. By the time Blake Snell came to his senses and moderated his demands, it was already too late because most of his suitors had already spent their alloted budgets elsewhere. Players can hold out, stall and prolong the free agent process, but it’s not realistic to think teams will wait for them.
You literally quoted an article
@ LonnieB…I wrote this myself, bro and have posted variations of it 3x. Maybe whatever post you refer to quoted me. I make too many posts to start stealing material. It’s not hard to write decent posts.
Perhaps but this is almost word for word an article on this site by some beat writer. Good on you if it was original.
Maybe they are stealing your posts. That’s kinda cool but you should get their pay.
“Stealing your posts”..I’ve altered the wording( same substance)every single time I’ve posted it, so it’s hard for me to believe it’s word for word bro. I can believe others saying the same substance in different words, because this is likely what happened with Snell. Send me a link please if you can. I write variations of my better posts all the time, but this isn’t one of my better posts actually.
“You literally quoted”…it would be pretty obvious If I did what you say, because hundreds, if not thousands, do read those articles. I’m pretty sure I would have heard from more than just you if I copied them. Like a lot of people, I don’t even always read the articles because I’ve been watching the game of baseball 52+ years and already know how it works.
“Imma get mines”
It doesn’t help when MLBTR comes out with their annual 20yrs 40 billion predictions for the starting pitcher flavors of the offseason.
*slight exaggeration detected*
So, as the old saying goes, there are lies and then there are damn lies.
I think it’s here are lies, damned lies, and statistics. Might have been Mark Twain.
Probably. Ol’ Sam came up with some good ones.
Suddenly, without explanation, the Phillies fans temper their expectations on acquiring another top line starter. And realize maybe 4 starters each earning between $18M and $42M per season (possibly the next 3 seasons) is a bit ridiculous for a team that’s name doesnt end in -odgers.
You really thought you were cooking huh?
I gave them a thumbs up just to spite you
I wonder if the Phillies offered the Wheeler offer to Snell first and he rejected it and then they pivoted to Wheeler.
Snell may be someone’s mid-season signing the way this thing is going
Wheeler was always their priority. He’s the better pitcher and he’s a Phillie favorite. He wasn’t going anywhere.
Have to give the FO a lot of credit for never obviously dissing Wheeler in any way. The man deserves mad respect, he got it, and PHI kept him off the market the best way possible. Wouldn’t say that if I didn’t feel both the Phillies and Wheeler weren’t mature parties. Best to the Phils in ‘24
“I wonder if the Phillies offered”…Zack Wheeler is considerably more consistent and productive than Blake Snell ever was so I really doubt the Phillies would offer Snell “Wheeler” money.
Somehow, the article makes me feel Chris Illich is not putting his best effort into this thing.
He was never going to pay Snell to pitch in Philly.
I wonder if fewer and fewer players are going to be rejecting QO going forward. Seems to end up limiting your market.
“I wonder if fewer and fewer”…The QO has very little to do with this. Teams have shown when the talent is elite, consistent, predictable and productive they will gladly forfeit draft picks, intl money, whatever. This is ALL about Boras overplaying his hand and misreading the market.
Its also about players feeling their “talent is elite, consistent, predictable and productive.”
But have they “un-seriously” discussed Snell?
They’ve frivolously discussed him
I don’t know why they just don’t go for it. yeah it’s going to drop a draft pick a little bit and lose another one but when you have World Series aspirations that’s all it should matter. and like you said if it’s a short-term deal there’s most likely going to be opted out after every season and if he has a great year he’s going to opt out but with him having a great year with Nola and Wheeler it could be something special this season. I know it’s not my money but I’m a little surprised that they’re not going after this hard now that he’s coming back off of the crazy demands he originally had
Hader was their big hail mary move if they were making one. Their rotation is already good. Adding Snell would be nice, but it potentially hurts the development of guys like Sanchez and maybe even Abel and comes at significant cost.
Thought they were interested?
Snell’s market is the Giants. They will not bid against themselves.
The Yankees aren’t paying 110% of his salary.
Maybe the Angels. That’s about it.
The Angels have not been signing pitchers to long term deals.
They might do 3 years.
As happy as the rumor made some, it didn’t add up to me. The cost to the Phillies adding Snell is really high.
The original rumor felt like a typical Boras back channel PR bid.
Waiting to see what happens next.
Like Wheeler contract high?
I have to wonder just which teams Boras is trying to get into bidding wars with themselves. Right now nobody seems overly interested in Snell or Montgomery, but Boras must have some teams in mind to lure into phony wars.
But who? Maybe the Giants, possibly the Red Sox, and I’m sort of out of names. Supposedly the Yankees gave an offer to Snell but it’s been all quiet on the pinstripe front lately. Just which mystery teams can be enticed into wars with themselves to drive up prices?
Leaks by agents to up Snell’s offers.
Can Heyman and Nightengale choose to write for another sport please?
Last Snell to the Phillies article? Pinky promise?
Only until Heyman gets the call…. Boras calling in the Big Dogs now.
Heyman’s article tomorrow: “Snell on a plane to Philly to sign…”
Watch tomorrow headlines read Phillies sign Blake Snell.
At least the SCOTUS got it right today
This is about the Phillies and Blake Snell. Nobody cares about your political opinions and it’s really pathetic that you have to shoehorn your opinions on a completely unrelated site because nobody in your life actually cares to hear what you have to say.
Said a guy named Christ. =P
How does my last name relate to anything?
Is that why you went on a rant? Triggered easily?
Apparently you are, liking your comment immediately after posting.
Breathe through your eyelids, Nuke Christ. I thumbed his comments, aloha!
I didn’t like my own post. But it’s okay to accuse ball players on here of anything and everything. I get it Your handle tells me all I need to know.
I guess the teams didn’t agree with him when he was discussing why his elevated walk numbers aren’t an issue because the padres and him found ways to offset them by excelling in other areas.
Maybe it’s not a sustainable approach.
Another MLB writer either just making stuff up, or being played by Boras (my guess)
“Hey Bob, we’re also talking to the Phillies about a short term deal for Snell” (trying to get the Yankees to hurry up)
At least the headline sounds better than, Phillies have shown interest in Snell”. Most every team is interested.
The Jays may get desperate. Gausman Manoah shoulder probs. They do have money. Went after Shohei
Shirley, they can’t be serious!
It will be the Dodgers. What’s another $40M a year now that Kershaw won’t be ready till July?
Dodgers just pushed all their chips to the center of the table.
Ohatni on his way to Toronto that faithful day.
The following dialogue that changed Ohtani’s mind and he signed with the
Dodgers…
Ohtani- How soon can you land?
Pilot- I can’t tell
Ohtani- You can tell me I’m a professional ball player.
Pilot-No. I mean I’m not sure.
Ohtani-Well, Can’t you take a guess?
Pilot-Well, not for another two hours.
Ohtani- You can’t take a guess for another 2 hours?
I always bet the opposite to what Heyman & Nightengale say.
Now how many here stayed that the Phillies’ reported interest was a Scott Boras tactical leak? He does this every year. The Yankees made an offer, the Phillies, Giants, Braves, Cubs all have an interest, the Nationals are for sale…. This is the public domain. If this was any other industry, entities are censored.
Snell needs to reduce his demands or he will be sitting out the season.