MLB Insider Links Upcoming Free Agent Nola to Philadelphia Phillies' Division Rival
It appears Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Aaron Nola is on the cusp of making himself a lot of money.
The 30 year-old is scheduled to be a free agent for the first time in his career, upon the conclusion of the 2023 season.
Top news breaker and longtime national baseball writer Bob Nightengale recently said that he believes eight to ten teams will be vying for Nola's services this winter. Among teams bidding for Nola, could be the Phillies' arch nemesis.
Nightengale was asked recently on the Jack Vita Show about the potential market for Nola, with the offseason approaching. Among the teams he listed were the San Francisco Giants, New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox and Texas Rangers.
"And I wouldn’t rule out Atlanta," Nightengale said. "People always want to play in Atlanta. They would like to have a reinforcement like that. They have a lot of young kids. They don’t have to have him."
The Braves don't have to have Nola, but the All-Star sure would be a nice luxury.
Nola met the Braves in the National League Division Series last October in a pivotal Game 3. In only his second career playoff start, Nola allowed zero earned runs off five hits and two walks, while striking out six in the Phillies' 9-1 victory. Nola's big time performance helped Philadelphia take a 2-1 lead, putting Atlanta on the brink of elimination. The Phillies would go on to clinch a series win in Game 4, en route to their first World Series appearance since 2009.
The Braves are on-track to finish the 2023 season with the National League's best record and the no. 1 seed in the postseason. Atlanta would play the winner of the NL Wild Card Series between the league's top two Wild Card teams. If the season ended September 12, the Phillies would play the Cubs in a best-of-3 series, with the winner advancing to play the Braves. Nola's club will have a chance to upend the Braves' season for the second straight year.
Certainly, the Braves wouldn't mind not having to run into Nola in the postseason again, and perhaps plucking him from the hands of their division rival.
You can catch the full conversation with Bob Nightengale on the Jack Vita Show here:
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