Categories: Phillies Nuggets with Tim Kelly

6 potential non-Phillies landing spots for Aaron Nola in free agency

Aaron Nola is a free agent. (David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire)

Aaron Nola said multiple times during the Philadelphia Phillies postseason run that he hoped to remain with the team that drafted him in the first round of the 2014 MLB Draft. President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski called Nola “our priority” in his end-of-season press conference.

But it’s clear there’s a very real possibility that the two sides go their separate ways this offseason, with Bob Nightengale of USA Today reporting last month that while the Phillies hoped to tack on four or five seasons to the $16 million Nola made in 2023 during Spring Training extension talks, the right-hander’s camp “was seeking an eight-year contract in excess of $200 million.”

For their part, the Phillies seem to be putting the squeeze on Nola’s camp early this offseason. Do they have genuine interest in free agents Blake Snell and Sonny Gray? Probably. Has that interest been leaked to apply pressure to Nola and potentially get he and his agent Joe Longo to lower their asking price? Also probably.

If Nola’s camp doesn’t blink, though, the Phillies could actually pivot to Snell, or they could consider the ample options on the trade market.

And with so many teams in need of reliable starting pitchers of quality, there isn’t much of a reason for Nola’s camp to blink. That may mean his time in red pinstripes comes to an end, but he’ll have plenty of other World Series contenders interested in his services. The Phillies would receive a compensatory pick after the fourth round of the 2024 MLB Draft if Nola departs, assuming he declines the qualifying offer extended to him by his long-time employer, which is seen as fait accompli.

The door shouldn’t be closed on Nola coming back to the Phillies, but here are six potential landing spots if he leaves in free agency.

St. Louis Cardinals

The Cardinals have been the most willing of any suitor to publicly signal their interest in Nola, with Derrick Goold of The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reporting back in September that the Red Birds would have interest in the 30-year-old righty. We’re not saying the Cardinals won’t ultimately sign Nola, but president of baseball operations John Mozeliak needs to add multiple arms this season. From here, the Cardinals might be more likely to sign Gray and, say, Marcus Stroman, as opposed to making one giant investment in an arm like Nola.

Texas Rangers

“Several GMs” predicted to Bob Nightengale of USA Today that the Rangers will ultimately sign Nola. And after spending their way to a World Series title in 2023, why wouldn’t they be aggressive on the free-agent market again? Bruce Bochy’s squad would love the stability of Nola in their rotation, because they don’t have much of it currently. Max Scherzer is 39 and has struggled to stay healthy the past two seasons. Nathan Eovaldi was great in 2023, but he has a lengthy injured history of his own, and like Scherzer, is entering a contract year. Two-time NL Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom could return from Tommy John surgery late in the 2024 season, but betting on his health never seems to work out well. The Rangers may just re-sign Jordan Montgomery — they wouldn’t have to give up draft compensation to do so, and know they won’t get any if he leaves — but they are a team to watch for Nola.

Boston Red Sox

Under former chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom, the Red Sox weren’t at the forefront of pursuing major free agents and trade targets the way they typically had been in the 15 years prior. Bloom was dismissed and replaced by Craig Breslow after the Red Sox went 78-84 and finished in last place in the AL East. They feel like a team likely to make a major investment this offseason, and we know manager Alex Cora has long been fond of Nola. The Red Sox may ultimately opt for Blake Snell over Nola, but this is a team that needs a steady, front-of-the-rotation starter.

Embed from Getty Images

Chicago Cubs

The Cubs already lured manager Craig Counsell away from the division-rival Milwaukee Brewers, and there’s no reason to think they won’t be one of the most active teams in free agency as well. If two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani is willing to leave the West Coast, the Cubs could be a fit. If the New York Mets are willing to trade Pete Alonso, the Cubs could be a fit. Cody Bellinger revived his career with the Cubs in 2023, and they may ultimately make a push to retain him. But Marcus Stroman seems likely to leave in free agency

, so the Cubs need another frontline starter to pair with Justin Steele atop their rotation. The Cubs haven’t made the postseason since the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. Signing Nola — and maybe Rhys Hoskins, too — could help them to end that drought.

Los Angeles Dodgers

The Dodgers are one of the sport’s most prolific spenders, and they probably need to add multiple impact arms this offseason. Clayton Kershaw is a free agent and shoulder surgery likely means he won’t be ready for the start of the 2024 season. Julio Urías is a free agent and his career might be over after a second domestic violence arrest. Tony Gonsolin is likely to miss all of 2024 after undergoing Tommy John surgery. The Dodgers are favored to sign Shohei Ohtani, but he most likely won’t pitch again until 2025. Are you starting to see how the reliability of Nola could intrigue president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman?

San Francisco Giants

Beyond trying to keep him away from the NL West-rival Dodgers, the Giants make quite a bit of sense for Nola. In 2023, Nola gave up a career-high 32 home runs. Oracle Park is one of the most pitcher-friendly stadiums in the sport, which would help Nola to rebound in that regard. The Giants, for entirely different reasons, failed to seal the deal with either Aaron Judge or Carlos Correa last offseason. President of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi is on the hot seat, and getting some stars to sign on the dotted line might help to save his job. If Gabe Kapler was still managing the Giants, this may not be a fit. But after a few years of managing Austin Nola in San Diego, Bob Melvin would likely love to hand the ball to the younger Nola 32 times next season.