That Balls Outta Here
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3 Dream free agent pitchers to upgrade the Phillies rotation

By Gabrielle Starr

Jun 6, 2021; San Diego, California, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Marcus Stroman (0) reacts after a double play to end the fourth inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 6, 2021; San Diego, California, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Marcus Stroman (0) reacts after a double play to end the fourth inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Philadelphia Phillies rotation was a perfect microcosm of the team as a whole: a mix of stunning talent and utter failure.

On one side, they had Cy Young candidate Zack Wheeler and unlikely hero Ranger Suárez. On the other, Aaron Nola, Vince Velasquez, Zach Eflin, Matt Moore, and Chase Anderson, to name a few, hurt the Phillies more than they helped. Velaquez and Anderson were gone before season’s end. Nola posted some of the worst numbers of his career, and it’s safe to say Moore won’t be asked back.

With Eflin slated to miss the beginning of the 2022 season after late-season knee surgery, and some arms slated for free agency, the Phillies need to sign at least one starting pitcher before next season.

The good news for them is that there are some great names about to hit the market. The bad news is that starting pitching is the linchpin of a contending team, so the competition will be fierce.

These three candidates are dream choices, the crème de la crème. If the Phillies are lucky, they’ll get one of them, if any.

The Philadelphia Phillies should target Max Scherzer in free agency

At 37 years old, former division rival Max Scherzer is still a force to be reckoned with. His 7.2 WAR leads upcoming free-agent starters.

Since his trade to the Dodgers at the 2021 deadline, he posted a 1.98 ERA over 11 regular-season starts and helped propel a rudderless Dodgers ship into October. They won every single one of his 11 games, though they lost the division title to the Giants for the first time since 2012.

The three-time Cy Young winner has struck out 200+ batters every season since 2012 (not including the shortened 2020) and has a lifetime 3.16 ERA over 14 seasons. He’s consistent in October, too; a 3.22 ERA over 26 career games, with 160 strikeouts over 128 2/3 postseason innings.

Scherzer’s veteran leadership could prove invaluable. He also has postseason and championship experience. Having players on the team who know how good it feels to win a World Series brings a different kind of energy to the clubhouse; they know what it takes to get there, and they want to do it again.

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