Phillies smash MLB record after sealing Zack Wheeler contract extension
The pitcher has earned a lucrative new deal
The Philadelphia Phillies have decided to hand Zack Wheeler a new contract extension to ensure he will not leave the MLB franchise as a free agent, according to reports.
Wheeler and the Phillies have agreed to a three-year extension worth $126 million contract extension, according to the New York Post.
It means the 33-year-old pitcher will not become a free agent in the fall and will now stay with Philadelphia until the end of the 2027 season.
Wheeler had entered the final year of his five-year, $118m deal, sparking questions about his long-term future. However, the extension means he has been tied down to a new deal alongside star teammates Bryce Harper and Trea Turner, who are signed through 2031 and 2033, respectively.
Speaking about the renewal, Wheeler expressed his delight at sealing an agreement with the team, where he has been since 2020.
“This is a first class organization, and I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else,” Wheeler said at a press conference on Monday.
Phillies team president Dave Dombrowski also revealed his joy in keeping Wheeler with the team: “In the postseason when he takes that ball, I can’t think of anyone I want to be there more than Zack,” he added.
Wheeler was the No.6 overall pick in the 2009 draft, going to the San Francisco Giants before he was traded to the New York Mets in 2011.
However, he only pitched in five seasons, missing the 2015 and 2016 seasons after undergoing Tommy John surgery and after being released as a free agent, he joined the Phillies in December 2019.
A new MLB record
Wheeler’s extension begins with the 2025 season and, with an annual average salary of $42m per year, it is the highest salary for a contract extension in baseball’s history.
It’s also right up there with the richest deals ever signed by pitchers. Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander signed deals with the Mets that had an average annual value (AAV) of $43.3m.
The Phillies have reached the World Series and NLCS the past two seasons, narrowly missing out on their first championship since 2008..