MLB Notebook: Top free agent Aaron Nola re-signs with Phillies on seven-year, $172 million contract

Finally, somebody has signed a contract.

On Sunday afternoon, the Philadelphia Phillies re-signed pitcher Aaron Nola to a seven-year, $172 million deal. Nola was one of the best pitchers available on the market, behind Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Blake Snell, the reigning National League Cy Young winner.

Right-hander Aaron Nola and the Philadelphia Phillies are in agreement on a seven-year, $172 million contract, sources tell ESPN. The deal is pending a physical. But it is done, and Nola, who has spent his whole career in Philadelphia, will remain with the Phillies.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) November 19, 2023

Unlike hockey or basketball’s free agency, it takes free agents in baseball a long time to sign. Free agency has been open since November 6, and nearly two weeks later, we have our first major signing. Expect the floodgates to open soon.

Nola had a tough season in 2023, posting a 4.46 ERA and a 4.03 FIP in 193.2 innings pitched, along with a 25.5 K% and a 5.7 BB%. The season prior, Nola posted a 3.25 ERA and a 2.58 FIP in 205 innings pitched, along with a 29.1 K% and a 3.6 BB%.

The 30-year-old career-long Philly is a really good pitcher, but it makes you think about how lucky the Jays were to sign Kevin Gausman to his five-year, $110 million deal a couple of years ago.

It seems this signing by Nola might set the market a little bit and get things going. The hot stove is already burning. According to Bob Nightengale, the Los Angeles Dodgers are speaking to the Chicago White Sox about Dylan Cease, who is one of the better starting pitcher names on the trade market among selling teams.

Latest notes:

*What happened with Woodruff

*Waiting on Braves’ next move

*Jays’ willingness to deal Manoah, or lack thereof

*Snell’s endorsement of Gary Sánchez https://t.co/aIYWD9i2Ua

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) November 19, 2023

In news related to the Blue Jays, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reported that the Blue Jays are apparently open to trading Alek Manoah. I don’t buy this rumour for a second, because Manoah has shown to be a front-line starter in the past, with four years of team control left, whose value is also super low due to his 2023. Let’s not trade Manaoh.

Either way, it looks like the Major League Baseball off-season is about to ramp up in a huge way, and hopefully, the Blue Jays are involved.

As always, you can follow me on Twitter, Instagram, and Threads @Brennan_L_D.