The Phillies are playing the long-game with their starting rotation. Knowing how important starting pitching is to a playoff contending team and coupling that with the fact that their farm system has very little to offer in terms of starters for the future, the team and Jesus Luzardo agreed to a five-year, $135-million contract.
Luzardo could have become a free agent following this season had the two sides not come together. The left-hander made it so that the Phillies didn’t have to guess if he was open to signing with the team long-term and foregoing free agency. He has said in interviews with multiple sources that he really loved his first season in Philadelphia and wanted to hang around for the foreseeable future.
Ironically, one of the deals that were used as comparison for Luzardo to sign was the one that the Boston Red Sox agreed to with now former Phillies starter Ranger Suarez. Suarez got five years and $130-million and the Phillies gave Luzardo a million dollars per season over that to stick around in Philly.
Zack Wheeler now has the shortest amount of time remaining on his deal among Phillies starters as he is signed only through the 2027 season and has said that he is targeting that to be his final season. With a work stoppage following the 2026 season a possibility, there is the possibility that Wheeler’s timetable could be changed. Cristopher Sanchez is signed through 2028, but the Phillies hold very workable options for both 2029 and 2030 that they can exercise. Aaron Nola is also signed through 2030. Andrew Painter is entering his rookie season and will not be eligible for free agency until following the 2031 season, possibly 2032 depending on what happens with the potential work stoppage.
Sign up for a free subscription and get our weekly newsletter delivered to your inbox. Or, sign up for a paid subscription ($5 per month/$45 per year) and get deeper coverage of the Phillies and the Minor League affiliates.
Those deals give the Phillies time to develop some rotation arms for down the road. It’s likely that Gage Wood, who was the Phillies first round pick in last year’s draft will be ready for the majors pretty quickly, although the Phillies have reportedly toyed with the idea of converting him into a reliever.
The Phillies do have three other starters in their Top 10 prospects, but none are expected to be top or even mid-level starting pitchers. They all have some work to do before being major league ready. Moises Chace is coming off of Tommy John surgery and will need time to work his way back. Cade Obermueller is just 22 and was the Phillies second round pick last season out of the University of Iowa. Jean Cabrera will likely begin the season with Triple-A Lehigh Valley, but his stock has declined slightly and he profiles as a back of the rotation starter. It’s also possible he will need at least a full season with the IronPigs before being fully ready. After that, the primary starting prospects are all low in the minors and do not currently profile as strong starting candidates.
Even with the long-term deals, there is at least some concern about the rotation. Nola is coming off of the worst season of his career, but figures to rebound nicely this season, but his best days are likely behind him at this point in his career. Wheeler is coming off of thoracic outlet syndrome surgery, so it remains to be seen just how strong he will be this season. Painter has struggled since coming back from Tommy John surgery, but it’s believed that he is now past that and ready to pitch at a high level for the Phillies. Some are worried about the jump in innings that Sanchez has taken on over the past year. He has looked strong in the early going and is pitching in the WBC.
Luzardo himself has dealt with injuries while he was with the Marlins. In fact, many believe that the reason Miami dealt Luzardo was because of their concerns about him physically.
Luzardo’s deal kicks in for the 2027 season and financially is the Phillies taking advantage of money coming off the books following this season. Nick Castellano’s deal with the Phillies that is paying him just under $20-million to play for the Padres is finished following the 2026 season, as is Taijuan Walker‘s deal which is paying him the final $18-million of a four-year, $72-million deal he signed with the Phillies.
