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Phillies cannot afford to wait with Zack Wheeler
The Philadelphia Phillies got lucky this offseason. That may not happen again.
The Phillies had offered Aaron Nola an extension before the 2023 season but could not agree on a deal. He entered free agency only to quickly re-sign in Philadelphia on a seven-year deal worth $172 million. Ultimately, the Phillies were lucky that Nola wanted to return after getting a brief taste of the market. They may not be as lucky with Zack Wheeler.
Right now, the Phillies are taking the same approach with Wheeler as they did with Nola. Todd Zoleski of MLB.com reported that the Phillies still consider extending Wheeler as a priority and are still working in that direction.
Wheeler has established himself as one of the best pitchers in the game since signing with the Phillies. That continued in 2023 as he posted a 3.61 ERA and a 1.078 WHIP over his 192 innings, striking out 212 batters with 39 walks. He is not showing any signs of slowing down, although he will turn 34 years old during the upcoming season.
That is the balancing act the Phillies need to consider. Wheeler is a top-of-the-rotation starter and will be difficult to replace. He is also going to command a large contract should he reach the open market.
The Phillies will also have to weigh the length of the contract Wheeler is seeking. A Max Scherzer type of deal may be more palatable than a five-year extension, especially with the type of salary he will receive.
Age catches up with us all. That will be the same with Wheeler despite his health over the past six years. That will have to be a factor for the Phillies but they may have no other choice if they want to keep their ace. Either way, they cannot afford to wait for the offseason to bring him back.
More must-reads:
- The 24 pitchers who have thrown an MLB perfect game
- Pirates ace Paul Skenes endures uncharacteristic rough outing in loss
- The '30 or more home runs in 2021' quiz
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Cubs Trade Pitch Lands Power Hitting Orioles First Baseman
After the Chicago Cubs couldn't close out a series sweep of the San Diego Padres, major questions surfaced surrounding the first baseman job. The Cubs have two first-baseman who've struggled to start the year, and this trade pitch looks to solve that issue. For this trade pitch, the Cubs make a deal with the Baltimore Orioles for first-baseman Ryan Mountcastle. The Cubs would likely not need to trade a highly ranked prospect, as Mountcastle is 28 years old and has just one year of arbitration left. Mountcastle is a free agent in 2027, and the Cubs would be adding him to an infield in need of stable first-baseman play. While Mountcastle hasn't been an All-Star in his career, his yearly numbers would be a great addition to the Cubs lineup. In the four full seasons as the Orioles' first-baseman, Mountcastle hasn't fallen below a .250 batting average. 2024 was a good year for Mountcastle, as he had 128 hits, a .271 batting average, and 30 doubles. Through 10 games in 2025, Mountcastle is hitting .324 with two doubles, and one RBI. He has no home runs, though his lack of home run production can be explained by the Orioles' new outfield dimensions. In his first season in the Major Leagues, Mountcastle hit 33 home runs. However, every year since then his numbers have gone down. But in a better environment, away from the Orioles' extended left-field wall, Mountcastle could be in for a major boost in his home run total. Mountcastle also provides good defense at first base. In 2024, he had his best defensive season, netting eight defensive runs saved, and had a .997 fielding percentage, which led the league. Adding a power-hitting first baseman, one who's also a great fielder is exactly what the Cubs need. Mountcastle would provide strong defense, and add another much-needed power hitter to the lineup. The Cubs' current first basemen aren't going to challenge Mountcastle for the job. Justin Turner is 40 years old, hitting just .200, and has struggled defensively with the Cubs in his short stint. The other first-baseman on the roster is Michael Busch. He's 27 years old but hasn't done enough to warrant keeping the first-baseman spot. Busch is hitting .235 with one home run and four runs batted in. While he's got significantly more upside than Turner, he's been inconsistent in his MLB career. Mountcastle would be the perfect mid-season acquisition for the Cubs. The Cubs need an upgrade offensively, and a stronger defensive presence at first. Mountcastle provides both, and likely at a reasonable cost.
Nuggets owner hints at why Michael Malone was fired
Denver Nuggets owner Josh Kroenke hinted at a big reason why Michael Malone was shockingly fired on Tuesday. The Nuggets announced Tuesday that they had fired both Malone and GM Calvin Booth. Malone had been the team’s head coach since the 2015-16 season and led them to the NBA championship two years ago. The Nuggets are 47-32 this season and have lost four games in a row, which left the team’s ownership unsettled. They were leaning toward firing Malone after the season anyway, but they made the move with three games left in the regular season in hopes of sparking the team. Kroenke spoke with Altitude reporter Vic Lombardi and told him he wants to see the Nuggets “have fun” and play with joy again. This is just like when a football team fires a strict coach and goes with someone who is looser in attitude. They often hope it will spark a change and fire up the team. This is a gamble for the Nuggets, as they know Malone has been successful during past postseasons. They panicked amid a losing streak with the playoffs looming and made a big change.
Steelers seem to be eyeing ambitious backup plan for Aaron Rodgers
The Pittsburgh Steelers have been incredibly patient while they wait for Aaron Rodgers to make a decision, but it appears they are at least exploring a viable backup plan. Jordan Schultz of Fox Sports reported on Tuesday that Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders has scheduled a visit with the Steelers. The news came as somewhat of a surprise, as Pittsburgh has the 21st overall pick in the upcoming NFL Draft. The Tennessee Titans are widely expected to select Cam Ward with the first overall pick. There has been talk that Sanders could slide down the board if both the Cleveland Browns and New York Giants pass on him at No. 2 and No. 3, respectively. But would Sanders fall all the way to No. 21? In his latest mock draft, ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. predicted Sanders won't fall out of the top 10 even if both the Browns and Giants pass on the former Colorado star. Either the Steelers believe Kiper could be wrong, or they have not ruled out trading up. At the very least, Pittsburgh general manager Omar Khan and company are doing their homework. The visit also seems like a good indicator that the rumors about Rodgers committing to the Steelers during Pat McAfee's "Big Night AHT" event (which is being held in Pittsburgh) later this week are not going to come to fruition. The Steelers probably did not expect Rodgers to take this long. Their initial Plan B was to bring back Russell Wilson, but Wilson has since signed with the New York Giants. Mike Tomlin has said he would be comfortable entering the 2025 season with Mason Rudolph as his starting quarterback, but you have to think Pittsburgh is aiming higher than that. While the Steelers have not given Rodgers a deadline, it is possible they want an answer before the NFL Draft. Should Rodgers decide he is not going to sign with them, they would then have the option of making an aggressive play for Sanders.
Penn State Wrestling 2025-26 Lineup Projection, Part 1: Luke Lilledahl Leads Deep Group of Returners
Evgeni Malkin's Hilarious Three-Word Post After Alex Ovechkin's 895th Goal
Pittsburgh Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin had plenty to reflect on Sunday night following Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin's historic NHL afternoon. Just hours after fellow 2004 draft pick Ovechkin became the NHL’s all-time goals leader with his 895th career tally, Malkin and the Penguins were officially eliminated from playoff contention in a 3–1 loss to the Blackhawks. In a day of contrasting emotions for Malkin, he still found a moment to acknowledge the significance of what Ovechkin had done. The 38-year-old posted a simple three-word message on Instagram. The caption accompanied a photo of Ovechkin and Malkin together at the 2004 NHL Draft, where they were selected first and second overall “Ты прошёл хоккей!!! 895,” which translates to “Through the hockey!!! 895.” Malkin had more to say postgame in Chicago, as shared by The Athletic's Josh Yohe. According to Yohe, during a break in play, the Blackhawks paid tribute to Ovechkin’s record, and while most players tapped their sticks honoring Ovechkin breaking the all-time record, Malkin remained seated at the end boards, watching the replay of the record-goal in silence. “It’s a huge day for hockey,” Malkin said. “I’m glad I’ve played with him, against him. He’s a great player. I hope he stays healthy, Maybe he’ll score 900 goals (by the end of this season), you know? His family will celebrate today. Probably the whole country of Russia and the U.S., were watching today. It’s huge. ”I’ve played against him for 20 years. He’s a machine. He never stops. Bad times. Good times. He finds a way to score.” Malkin also added perspective from two decades of shared history with Ovechkin, noting how rare such consistency is. “If you played for 20 years and scored 40 goals every year, he still would not have broken the record,” Malkin said. Malkin also revealed that he and Sidney Crosby texted Ovechkin congratulations after he tied the mark Friday but acknowledged it'd take them a bit more to call the winger because of the high volume of messages he must have received. “I probably won’t call him until a little bit later,” Malkin said. “He has 1,000 messages probably. I sent him a message before the game today that said congrats. It’s an amazing day for Russian hockey.”
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