Gerrit Cole Reportedly Atop Phillies Free Agent Wish List
By Jerry Trotta
It goes without saying that Gerrit Cole is the cream of this year's MLB free agency crop, and virtually any team financially capable will be lining up to ink him to what will likely be a record-setting contract.
Well, we can add the Philadelphia Phillies to that list as general manager Matt Klentak reportedly plans to head to the GM meetings in Scottsdale, Arizona this week with authentic intentions to improve his pitching staff. And Matt Breen of the Philadelphia Inquirer indicates that the former Astro will be the team's top priority in regards to pitching targets.
As the GM meetings open tomorrow, Matt Klentak will arrive in Arizona will a to-do list for the #Phillies that centers around one thing: starting pitching, as @matt_breen writes in the @PhillyInquirer: https://t.co/SObDvmgHnV
— Scott Lauber (@ScottLauber) November 10, 2019
It remains to be seen if the Phillies have the funds at their disposal to even make an offer to Cole, as he will likely seek an eight-year deal that would see him net $35 million per season, or possibly more.
Klentak, however, appears determined to revamp his staff by any means necessary. They logged a woeful 4.64 ERA as a group in 2019 and Aaron Nola was the only starter who logged a sub-4.00 ERA.
The Phillies desperately need starting pitching help, so I did Matt Klentak a favor by ranking the best free-agent arms available. https://t.co/NN2R0XVZMi
— Joe Giglio (@JoeGiglioSports) November 11, 2019
The Phillies appear to have more than their toes in the water as it pertains to the Cole sweepstakes, but, as always, stay tuned for updates on potential progress.
They'll face a ton of competition in their pursuit of the 29-year-old All-Star, but it's clear that the team is looking for an upgrade to their rotation, and no available player in the game could fill that need more than Cole.