The Philadelphia Phillies agreed to a new extension with their ace Zack Wheeler, officially announcing the news on Monday. Wheeler inked a three-year extension that will keep him with the organization through the 2027 MLB season.
The Phillies were motivated to lock Wheeler on a new deal, considering he was set to become a free agent at the end of the 2024 campaign. To do so, they reportedly gave him a contract worth a record $126 million over the course of three years.
Wheeler’s deal is the biggest-ever extension given to the player in MLB history in terms of an average annual salary of $42 million. Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander are paid $43.33 million annually, but both players signed their deals as free agents.
Wheeler had a strong 2023 campaign in which he pitched 192.0 innings. He had a 13-6 record with a 3.61 ERA and 212 strikeouts while also winning Gold Glove Award.
“I do enjoy pitching, and I want to be here,” Wheeler told reporters on Monday. “I love competing. But I don’t want to play until I’m old-old. And I want to be around my family. But I’m definitely enjoying the moment here, enjoying every moment I take the mound. It’s special, and not everybody gets to do it. Not everybody gets to do it as long as I have. I’m grateful for that.”
