Despite being unable to sign the Japanese phenom, the good news is that the Phillies is to use the Money on other Prospect 

The Philadelphia Phillies were unable to sign prized free-agent pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who instead agreed to terms with the Los Angeles Dodgers on a 12-year, $325 million contract late Thursday. However, the money that the company would have provided Yamamoto might still be used for other needs on their roster.

Yamamoto was always considered a long shot to sign with the Phillies. Despite being a current championship contender and a major market destination, Philadelphia has no history of signing Japanese players. Playing on a team with other players of his ethnicity was one of the elements that drew the phenom pitcher in.

After the Yamamoto sweepstakes, clubs will shift their focus to pursuing other available free agents or obtaining players through trade. Other trades can be made by the Phillies before opening day on March 28, 2024, against the Atlanta Braves at Citizens Bank Park.

This offseason, Philadelphia is unlikely to offer a large contract to another free agent. What could the Phillies do with the money they promised Yamamoto to fill another hole on their roster?

The Phillies should extend Zack Wheeler’s contract

Since his arrival in 2020, Zack Wheeler has established himself as the ace of the Phillies starting rotation. Despite having a higher ERA (3.61), WHIP (1.08), and batting average against (.227) last season than in 2021 and 2022, the starter was definitely Philadelphia’s most dependable starting.

Wheeler received his first Gold Glove Award in November for his outstanding performance in 2023. Last postseason, he was spectacular for the Phillies, with a 1.95 ERA in four starts and one relief appearance in Game 7 of the National League Championship Series. In 27 2/3 innings thrown, he was 3-0 with 35 strikeouts and three walks. Batters hit.170 on average against the right-hander, who had a 0.72 WHIP.

If Wheeler is not retained, the Phillies will be without a No. 1 starter. Aaron Nola appears to be a solid choice as a second starting, but he has too many consistency difficulties to be labeled a trustworthy ace.

Wheeler appears to be improving with age, and Philadelphia should explore extending him this offseason before he becomes a free agency. His free-agent asking price will be more than what the Phillies can offer him this winter. If he becomes a free agent in the fall of 2024, he will arguably be the best starting pitcher available.

After missing out on Yamamoto, Philadelphia’s most likely move is to extend Wheeler’s contract. Dave Dombrowski, the Phillies’ head of baseball operations, stated in November that the team would prefer to keep the 33-year-old beyond 2024.

If the Gold Glove Award winner would rather decide his worth in free agency next offseason, that is his prerogative. The Phillies would want to keep him by offering him a new contract after next season, particularly if he has a productive year in 2024. The company should do everything possible to prevent this from happening and seek an extension straight away.