With the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner still on the market, the Philadelphia Phillies may be waiting for his price to drop before getting involved.
The Philadelphia Phillies remain one of the most intriguing clubs to monitor over the summer.
They met their aim of re-signing Aaron Nola to keep him and Zack Wheeler at the top of their rotation, but since then, things have been quiet.
There are definite needs on this club, particularly in the bullpen after Craig Kimbrel left in free agency, and the unit has been weak in recent years.
However, there have been no substantial additions to their relief staff, and it appears that the front management is still interested in starting pitching.
This offseason, the Phillies have been linked to a number of starting pitchers, including those still available, such as Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery.
Snell is the reigning NL Cy Young winner, having had a 2.25 ERA in 32 starts and 180 innings.
He is apparently hoping for a contract for more than $200 million, although he has not received anything close to that amount. Only the New York Yankees have given him a six-year contract worth $150 million.
Snell declined and remains a free agent.
According to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com, the Cy Young Award winner’s asking price may decrease. If this happens, the market for talented left-handers may be saturated with suitors.
“If that ask comes down, one American League official projected that other clubs might throw their hat in the ring,” he writes.
Perhaps Philadelphia is one of the teams waiting.
They were allegedly interested in Snell, but not enough to offer him a deal, likely because to the salary he is seeking this summer.
If the asking price falls within the range of what the Phillies are willing to pay, they may pursue the reigning Cy Young champion aggressively.
