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.”

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The Philadelphia Phillies have been one of the best teams in baseball under manager Rob Thomson in the past couple of seasons. The franchise intends to keep it that way, which is why they have signed Thomson to a contract extension on Monday.

The Phillies announced that Thompson inked a new contract that will see him stay in Philadelphia through the 2025 MLB season. The 60-year-old manager had one year left on a two-year deal he signed ahead of the 2022 campaign. 

Rob Thomson spent a decade coaching with the New York Yankees before joining the Phillies organization in 2018 as a bench coach. After Joe Girardi was fired midway through the 2022 season, Thomson took over on an interim basis and ended up leading the Phillies to an improbable run that saw them secure a playoff spot for the first time since 2011.

After the Phillies reached the National League Championship Series, Thomson was hired as the team’s manager on a permanent basis. The Phillies ended up making it to the World Series, where they suffered a 4-2 loss to the Houston Astros.

Thomas and the Phillies then showed that the last season’s run wasn’t a fluke, as they reached 90 regular season wins for the first time in 12 seasons and went on to make another NLCS appearance.

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After playing most of his MLB career as an outfielder, the Philadelphia Phillies’ star slugger Bryce Harper will enter the 2024 season as a first baseman.

During a GM Meetings in Las Vegas earlier this week, Phillies’ president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski told reporters that he and manager Rob Thomson believe the team is better with Harper manning the first base.

“We think he projects to be an outstanding first baseman,” Dombrowski said. “He’s willing to do whatever for the organization, and we just think for us, it makes us a better club now and as we go forward … It gives us a really good, athletic infield that can be together for years.”

Harper got a taste of first base during the 2023 MLB season when he stepped in for injured Rhys Hoskins. He started 36 games at the position and provided exceptional performances. Overall, the 31-year-old batted .293 with 21 homers and 72 RBIs for the season.

Moving Harper to first base full-time means that Hoskins, who is recovering from an ACL injury, will now have to look for a new team. The 30-year-old player is a free agent this summer, and the Phillies already informed him that they won’t be looking to extend his contract.

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Aaron Nola and the Philadelphia Phillies have agreed to put their contract extension talks on hold until the end of the season. The pitcher, who is entering the final year of his contract, told reporters that he would like to focus on his performances for the rest of the season.

“I’m focused on this year. We want to win, so just focused on having a good season and having fun with these guys,” Nola told reporters. “We definitely tried to get it done, but it just didn’t work out right now. Doesn’t mean it’s over, by any means. We’ll talk at the end of the season and see what happens.”

Nola’s agent, Joe Longo, confirmed that communication has been good between the pair of them and the Phillies, adding that the parties simply couldn’t reach a compromise at this time. He explained further that contract talks would resume at the end of the season.

On his current contract, Nola will earn $16 million this year after exercising the option on the four-year, $45 million deal he signed with the Phillies in 2019.

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The Philadelphia Phillies confirmed on Friday that their veteran first baseman Rhys Hoskins has a torn ACL. According to the team president Dave Dombrowski, the injury will keep Hoskins out of action for the entire 2023 season.

Hoskins suffered an injury during Phillies’ spring training game on Thursday. He is expected to have surgery in the near future and spend seven months rehabbing.

“He will need to have surgery,” Dombrowski told reporters. “I would be shocked if he doesn’t. And that will put him out … for the season. That’s what we’re planning.”

Losing Hoskins is a tough blow for the Phillies, considering his production in the 2022 campaign that saw him hit 30 homers with 79 RBIs. It doesn’t help that the team was already dealing with a number of other injuries, including star Bryce Harper, who will be out at least until the All-Star break after undergoing Tommy John surgery.

With Hoskins out, the Phillies will rely on Darick Hall to man the first base. Hall, who was the 14th overall pick in 2016, played 41 games last season, his first in the majors. He finished the campaign hitting .250 with nine home runs and 16 RBIs.

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Left-hander Jose Alvarado has agreed to a three-year contract extension with the Philadelphia Phillies, team president of baseball operations David Dombrowski announced on Friday. Set to make $9 million per year through the 2025 season, Alvarado’s contract includes an option for 2026 that would see him make a further $9 million that year. Alternatively, he would be eligible for a $500,000 buyout.

In addition, Alvarado would be eligible for several performance-based bonuses. By winning World Series MVP or the Mariano Rivera/Trevor Hoffman reliever of the year award, Alvarado would receive a $100,000 bonus. By finishing second or third for the reliever honor, he would receive $50,000. He would also receive $50,000 compensation for winning an MVP or Gold Glove or making the All-Star team.

Days before reaching an agreement, Alvarado and the Phillies narrowly avoided an arbitration hearing by agreeing to a $3.45 million salary for 2023. Had a deal not been reached, Alvarado would have been eligible for free agency at the end of this season.

Last season, Alvarado went 4-2 with a 3.18 ERA and two saves in 59 relief appearances. He also had a 5.56 ERA in 12 postseason games as the Phillies were crowned National League champions.

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Trea Turner has signed an 11-year, $300 million contract with the Philadelphia Phillies, the team confirmed on Thursday. The deal will see the 29-year-old player potentially remain with the Phillies until his 40s.

The player’s arrival is a welcome sight for a Phillies team that is in need of reinforcement, particularly as the team seeks to improve on its World Series loss last season.

Bryce Harper, a former Washington player and teammate to Turner, has expressed his satisfaction at Turner’s arrival in Philadelphia. “Trea Turner, he’s my favorite player in the league,” Harper said of his old Washington teammate. “Not even close.”

Harper will have to wait two months before joining Turner on the field, however, as he continues to recover from an elbow injury. Still, Harper has nine years left on his $330 million, 11-year free agent deal, meaning that he’ll have plenty of time to foster a strong partnership with Turner.

Despite the Capitals’ last-place finish in the National League East last season, Turner enjoyed a promising individual performance, hitting .298 with 21 homers and a career-high 100 RBIs.

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The Philadelphia Phillies’ team that got to the 2022 World Series has just got a lot scarier. According to multiple reports, the Phillies just landed star shortstop Trea Turner on an 11-year deal.

Reportedly, Turner’s contract is worth a total of $300 million, making him only the 10th player in MLB history to get to that number. The agreement also includes a full no-trade clause.

Trea Turner is coming off back-to-back All-Star campaigns with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He batted .298 with 21 homers and 100 RBIs in 2022, earning his first All-MLB First Team honors as well.

According to reports, several teams were pursuing Turner, identifying him as the best shortstop in free agency that also has the likes of Xander Bogaerts and Carlos Correa. The San Diego Padres have reportedly been particularly interested in the 29-year-old player, prompting the Phillies to act quickly and give him the biggest contract of this year’s free agency so far.

The Phillies were the story of the 2022 MLB season, making the World Series as a wild-card and the third team from NL East. This gives the franchise plenty of reasons to think they are one piece away from wining it all, and Turner is a good piece as any.

Trea Turner spent the first five and a half years of his career with the Washington Nationals before joining the Dodgers in a trade midway through the 2021 season. Turner has World Series rings with both the Nationals and the Dodgers, alongside a number of other individual accomplishments. He has a career .302 batting average with 125 homers and 434 RBIs as a pro.

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The Philadelphia Phillies might have sneaked into the playoffs as the third team from the NL East. But despite this, they definitely showed they belong in the postseason after sweeping the favored St. Louis Cardinals in two games in the NL Wild Card game.

After overcoming a two-run deficit in the ninth inning to win the Game 6-3, the Phillies showed more resilience in Game 2. Thanks to Bryce Harper’s 435 feet homer in the top of the second inning and a strong pitching performance from ace Aaron Nola, Philadelphia walked away with a 2-0 win and secured its first NLDS appearance since 2011.

There was a lot of excitement in the Phillies’ clubhouse, considering that the franchise is having its first postseason run in more than a decade.

“Everybody in that clubhouse, on this team, in this organization is super excited,” Nola said after the game. “Just a bunch of unselfish guys, doing whatever it takes to win a ballgame, no matter what it is. It’s a lot of excitement.”

Thanks to the sweep, the Philadelphia Phillies got one additional day of rest to prepare for the NL East champions, the Atlanta Braves. The two teams will meet in Game 1 of the 2022 NLDS on Tuesday. The Braves have an 11-8 edge over the Phillies this season.

The post Phillies Upset the Cardinals to Make NLDS for the First Time Since 2011 appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Philadelphia Phillies will have to continue the postseason chase without their best player. Phillies star outfielder Bryce Harper is set to have surgery on his left thumb and is expected to spend significant time on the sidelines as a result.

Harper suffered a thumb fracture after being hit by Blake Snell’s pitch in a 4-2 win over the San Diego Padres on Saturday. The reigning NL MVP is expected to make a full recovery, but the Phillies are not 100 percent sure whether he’ll be back by the end of the 2022 campaign. 

“It’s tough, but it’s probably the best thing for him. So whatever’s best for him is best for me,” Phillies interim manager Rob Thomson told reporters. “If he’s able to come back, which we plan on, then that’s good under the circumstances.”

Harper has already been hampered by injuries this season, even before the thumb issue. This included UCL tear in his right elbow that only limited him to designated hitter duties since mid-April. But despite this, the 29-year-old has been having an impressive season. He has been hitting .318 throughout 64 games and has 15 homers and 48 RBIs to show for in 2022.

The Phillies are currently sitting third in NL East with a 39-35 record. They went 6-4 in their last 10 games.

The post Phillies’ Bryce Harper Set for Thumb Surgery, Might Not Return in 2022 appeared first on SportzBonanza.

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.”

The post Phillies and Ace Zack Wheeler Agree to a Record 3-Year, $126 Million Extension appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Philadelphia Phillies have been one of the best teams in baseball under manager Rob Thomson in the past couple of seasons. The franchise intends to keep it that way, which is why they have signed Thomson to a contract extension on Monday.

The Phillies announced that Thompson inked a new contract that will see him stay in Philadelphia through the 2025 MLB season. The 60-year-old manager had one year left on a two-year deal he signed ahead of the 2022 campaign. 

Rob Thomson spent a decade coaching with the New York Yankees before joining the Phillies organization in 2018 as a bench coach. After Joe Girardi was fired midway through the 2022 season, Thomson took over on an interim basis and ended up leading the Phillies to an improbable run that saw them secure a playoff spot for the first time since 2011.

After the Phillies reached the National League Championship Series, Thomson was hired as the team’s manager on a permanent basis. The Phillies ended up making it to the World Series, where they suffered a 4-2 loss to the Houston Astros.

Thomas and the Phillies then showed that the last season’s run wasn’t a fluke, as they reached 90 regular season wins for the first time in 12 seasons and went on to make another NLCS appearance.

The post Phillies to Keep Manager Rob Thomson Through 2025 MLB Season appeared first on SportzBonanza.

After playing most of his MLB career as an outfielder, the Philadelphia Phillies’ star slugger Bryce Harper will enter the 2024 season as a first baseman.

During a GM Meetings in Las Vegas earlier this week, Phillies’ president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski told reporters that he and manager Rob Thomson believe the team is better with Harper manning the first base.

“We think he projects to be an outstanding first baseman,” Dombrowski said. “He’s willing to do whatever for the organization, and we just think for us, it makes us a better club now and as we go forward … It gives us a really good, athletic infield that can be together for years.”

Harper got a taste of first base during the 2023 MLB season when he stepped in for injured Rhys Hoskins. He started 36 games at the position and provided exceptional performances. Overall, the 31-year-old batted .293 with 21 homers and 72 RBIs for the season.

Moving Harper to first base full-time means that Hoskins, who is recovering from an ACL injury, will now have to look for a new team. The 30-year-old player is a free agent this summer, and the Phillies already informed him that they won’t be looking to extend his contract.

The post Phillies Plan to Use Star Bryce Harper as First Baseman Moving Forward appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Aaron Nola and the Philadelphia Phillies have agreed to put their contract extension talks on hold until the end of the season. The pitcher, who is entering the final year of his contract, told reporters that he would like to focus on his performances for the rest of the season.

“I’m focused on this year. We want to win, so just focused on having a good season and having fun with these guys,” Nola told reporters. “We definitely tried to get it done, but it just didn’t work out right now. Doesn’t mean it’s over, by any means. We’ll talk at the end of the season and see what happens.”

Nola’s agent, Joe Longo, confirmed that communication has been good between the pair of them and the Phillies, adding that the parties simply couldn’t reach a compromise at this time. He explained further that contract talks would resume at the end of the season.

On his current contract, Nola will earn $16 million this year after exercising the option on the four-year, $45 million deal he signed with the Phillies in 2019.

The post Phillies And Aaron Nola Put Contract Talks On Hold Until End Of Season appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Philadelphia Phillies confirmed on Friday that their veteran first baseman Rhys Hoskins has a torn ACL. According to the team president Dave Dombrowski, the injury will keep Hoskins out of action for the entire 2023 season.

Hoskins suffered an injury during Phillies’ spring training game on Thursday. He is expected to have surgery in the near future and spend seven months rehabbing.

“He will need to have surgery,” Dombrowski told reporters. “I would be shocked if he doesn’t. And that will put him out … for the season. That’s what we’re planning.”

Losing Hoskins is a tough blow for the Phillies, considering his production in the 2022 campaign that saw him hit 30 homers with 79 RBIs. It doesn’t help that the team was already dealing with a number of other injuries, including star Bryce Harper, who will be out at least until the All-Star break after undergoing Tommy John surgery.

With Hoskins out, the Phillies will rely on Darick Hall to man the first base. Hall, who was the 14th overall pick in 2016, played 41 games last season, his first in the majors. He finished the campaign hitting .250 with nine home runs and 16 RBIs.

The post Phillies Expect 1B Rhys Hoskins to Miss the Entire 2023 Season appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Left-hander Jose Alvarado has agreed to a three-year contract extension with the Philadelphia Phillies, team president of baseball operations David Dombrowski announced on Friday. Set to make $9 million per year through the 2025 season, Alvarado’s contract includes an option for 2026 that would see him make a further $9 million that year. Alternatively, he would be eligible for a $500,000 buyout.

In addition, Alvarado would be eligible for several performance-based bonuses. By winning World Series MVP or the Mariano Rivera/Trevor Hoffman reliever of the year award, Alvarado would receive a $100,000 bonus. By finishing second or third for the reliever honor, he would receive $50,000. He would also receive $50,000 compensation for winning an MVP or Gold Glove or making the All-Star team.

Days before reaching an agreement, Alvarado and the Phillies narrowly avoided an arbitration hearing by agreeing to a $3.45 million salary for 2023. Had a deal not been reached, Alvarado would have been eligible for free agency at the end of this season.

Last season, Alvarado went 4-2 with a 3.18 ERA and two saves in 59 relief appearances. He also had a 5.56 ERA in 12 postseason games as the Phillies were crowned National League champions.

The post Jose Alvarado Signs Three-Year Extension With Phillies appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Trea Turner has signed an 11-year, $300 million contract with the Philadelphia Phillies, the team confirmed on Thursday. The deal will see the 29-year-old player potentially remain with the Phillies until his 40s.

The player’s arrival is a welcome sight for a Phillies team that is in need of reinforcement, particularly as the team seeks to improve on its World Series loss last season.

Bryce Harper, a former Washington player and teammate to Turner, has expressed his satisfaction at Turner’s arrival in Philadelphia. “Trea Turner, he’s my favorite player in the league,” Harper said of his old Washington teammate. “Not even close.”

Harper will have to wait two months before joining Turner on the field, however, as he continues to recover from an elbow injury. Still, Harper has nine years left on his $330 million, 11-year free agent deal, meaning that he’ll have plenty of time to foster a strong partnership with Turner.

Despite the Capitals’ last-place finish in the National League East last season, Turner enjoyed a promising individual performance, hitting .298 with 21 homers and a career-high 100 RBIs.

The post Philadelphia Signs Trea Turner on $300 Million Deal appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Philadelphia Phillies’ team that got to the 2022 World Series has just got a lot scarier. According to multiple reports, the Phillies just landed star shortstop Trea Turner on an 11-year deal.

Reportedly, Turner’s contract is worth a total of $300 million, making him only the 10th player in MLB history to get to that number. The agreement also includes a full no-trade clause.

Trea Turner is coming off back-to-back All-Star campaigns with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He batted .298 with 21 homers and 100 RBIs in 2022, earning his first All-MLB First Team honors as well.

According to reports, several teams were pursuing Turner, identifying him as the best shortstop in free agency that also has the likes of Xander Bogaerts and Carlos Correa. The San Diego Padres have reportedly been particularly interested in the 29-year-old player, prompting the Phillies to act quickly and give him the biggest contract of this year’s free agency so far.

The Phillies were the story of the 2022 MLB season, making the World Series as a wild-card and the third team from NL East. This gives the franchise plenty of reasons to think they are one piece away from wining it all, and Turner is a good piece as any.

Trea Turner spent the first five and a half years of his career with the Washington Nationals before joining the Dodgers in a trade midway through the 2021 season. Turner has World Series rings with both the Nationals and the Dodgers, alongside a number of other individual accomplishments. He has a career .302 batting average with 125 homers and 434 RBIs as a pro.

The post Phillies Land Star SS Trea Turner on an 11-Year, $300 Million Deal appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Philadelphia Phillies might have sneaked into the playoffs as the third team from the NL East. But despite this, they definitely showed they belong in the postseason after sweeping the favored St. Louis Cardinals in two games in the NL Wild Card game.

After overcoming a two-run deficit in the ninth inning to win the Game 6-3, the Phillies showed more resilience in Game 2. Thanks to Bryce Harper’s 435 feet homer in the top of the second inning and a strong pitching performance from ace Aaron Nola, Philadelphia walked away with a 2-0 win and secured its first NLDS appearance since 2011.

There was a lot of excitement in the Phillies’ clubhouse, considering that the franchise is having its first postseason run in more than a decade.

“Everybody in that clubhouse, on this team, in this organization is super excited,” Nola said after the game. “Just a bunch of unselfish guys, doing whatever it takes to win a ballgame, no matter what it is. It’s a lot of excitement.”

Thanks to the sweep, the Philadelphia Phillies got one additional day of rest to prepare for the NL East champions, the Atlanta Braves. The two teams will meet in Game 1 of the 2022 NLDS on Tuesday. The Braves have an 11-8 edge over the Phillies this season.

The post Phillies Upset the Cardinals to Make NLDS for the First Time Since 2011 appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Philadelphia Phillies will have to continue the postseason chase without their best player. Phillies star outfielder Bryce Harper is set to have surgery on his left thumb and is expected to spend significant time on the sidelines as a result.

Harper suffered a thumb fracture after being hit by Blake Snell’s pitch in a 4-2 win over the San Diego Padres on Saturday. The reigning NL MVP is expected to make a full recovery, but the Phillies are not 100 percent sure whether he’ll be back by the end of the 2022 campaign. 

“It’s tough, but it’s probably the best thing for him. So whatever’s best for him is best for me,” Phillies interim manager Rob Thomson told reporters. “If he’s able to come back, which we plan on, then that’s good under the circumstances.”

Harper has already been hampered by injuries this season, even before the thumb issue. This included UCL tear in his right elbow that only limited him to designated hitter duties since mid-April. But despite this, the 29-year-old has been having an impressive season. He has been hitting .318 throughout 64 games and has 15 homers and 48 RBIs to show for in 2022.

The Phillies are currently sitting third in NL East with a 39-35 record. They went 6-4 in their last 10 games.

The post Phillies’ Bryce Harper Set for Thumb Surgery, Might Not Return in 2022 appeared first on SportzBonanza.