The Most Signable Free-Agent Pitchers Left on Phillies' Radar

It was a busy week in the starting pitching aisle, the only one the Phillies are still exploring closely.

Off the board came Zac Gallen, Chris Bassitt, Justin Verlander, Nick Martinez, Griffin Canning, Miles Mikolas, Jordan Montgomery, Jose Urquidy, Jose Quintana, Aaron Civale, German Marquez and John Means.

Gallen ($22 million), Bassitt ($18.5 million), Verlander ($13 million) and Martinez ($13 million) were not realistic options for the Phillies because of the contracts they were expected to command. The market for Gallen and Bassitt did not develop the way either pitcher would have wanted, but even on a one-year deal, this was too rich for the Phillies, who are still seeking another starter to round out their early-season rotation.

Tax concerns

The Phils have an estimated Competitive Balance Tax payroll of over $318 million. The tax thresholds this season are $244M, $264M, $284M and $304M. The Phillies, unless they fall below it by season's end, will pay the harshest penalty possible, not only because they're past the highest threshold but also because they've exceeded the tax for at least three straight seasons. That causes the tax rate to spike from 20% on all overages to 50%.

So, yes, the Phillies were willing to sign Bo Bichette for $28.5 million per year, but no, they weren't itching to spend more. It had to be the ideal opportunity.

Setting the market

Quintana and Civale signed for $6 million with the Rockies and A's, respectively. Even that seems more than the Phillies are willing to allocate.

Urquidy signed with the Pirates for $1.5 million, which is a more logical range for the Phils. They might be holding out to see if they can land someone on a minor-league deal.

Mikolas' agreement with the Nationals was for a reported $2.25 million.

Montgomery, who underwent Tommy John surgery last season and will begin 2026 on the 60-day IL, signed with the Rangers for $1.25M.

Marquez is reportedly joining the Padres on a one-year deal.

Means signed a two-year, minor-league deal with the Royals but he's in a different spot than the others. He won't pitch at all in 2026 after tearing his Achilles in December.

What's left

Lucas Giolito will almost certainly sign for the most money among available starters. The 31-year-old finally kept the ball in the yard in 2025 and is coming off the second-best season of his career, a 3.41 ERA in 145 innings for the Red Sox.

The remainder of what's left is right-handers Giolito, Zack Littell, Frankie Montas, Max Scherzer, Walker Buehler, Anthony DeSclafani and Tony Gonsolin, and lefties Tyler Anderson, Patrick Corbin, Nestor Cortes and Wade Miley.

Who is the most signable?

Among that group, the ones who may be willing to take a non-guaranteed, minor-league deal are Buehler, DeSclafani and Corbin. Miley, 39, has barely pitched the last two seasons and might.

Littell figures to find at least the $6 million that Quintana and Civale signed for. Cortes' contract could fall in between that duo and Mikolas.

Scherzer could simply hold out for whenever the best offer materializes, whether that is in March or June.

A complicating factor for the Phillies in signing any of them is that they cannot truly guarantee a full season's worth of starts. The projected season-opening rotation is Cristopher Sanchez, Jesus Luzardo, Aaron Nola, Taijuan Walker and Andrew Painter. Zack Wheeler will likely return at some point in the first two months from September thoracic outlet syndrome surgery.

It makes the Phillies' search trickier and helps explain why a non-guaranteed deal would be the most beneficial.