The Philadelphia Phillies’ plan to get star pitcher Aaron Nola under a long-term contract this offseason didn’t work out. The two sides could get a deal done and have called off further extension talks, according to Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski.
“We think the world of Aaron,” Dombrowski told The Philadelphia Inquirer on Saturday. “It’s something we’ve talked long and hard about. … I think the world of him — quality pitcher, quality human being — but sometimes you get to this point where you’re not able to consummate a deal that both sides feel comfortable (with).”
Nola previously set the Opening Day of the 2023 MLB season as a deadline to get the extension with Phillies done. But with Philadelphia giving up, the 29-year-old is now set to see his contract expire and explore free agency after the season ends.
Reportedly, the two sides were initially optimistic about hammering out a deal. The Phillies like Nola’s durability and consistency, while the player didn’t hide that he wants to finish his MLB career with the organization. However, the issue was that Nola reportedly asked for an extension with $200 million guarantees, and the franchise simply didn’t want to come close to this number.
Aaron Nola has been one of the most reliable pitchers in baseball in recent years. He pitched 143 games and 871 innings since 2018, more than any other pitcher in the league during that time. The Louisiana native is coming off a 2022 campaign in which he had an 11-13 record with 235 strikeouts and 3.25 ERA and made the All-MLB Second-Team.
