‘Several GMs’ predict Rangers will sign Aaron Nola – Phillies Nation

The Texas Rangers are one of the few franchises in baseball that have been aggressively spending in free agency, like the Philadelphia Phillies. Recent predictions from multiple unnamed general managers, shared by USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, suggest that the defending World Series Champion Rangers will pursue Aaron Nola in free agency.

According to the general managers, Nola’s durability and stability would be attractive for the Rangers’ rotation, making him a potential anchor alongside their current talented starters. Nola has been one of the most reliable pitchers since 2018, second only to Gerrit Cole in innings pitched.

In contrast, several of the Rangers’ starters have dealt with injuries and contract uncertainties. Nathan Eovaldi, the postseason hero, has only made more than 30 starts once in his career and is entering a contract year. Max Scherzer, at 34 years old, has been effective but has faced various injuries. While Jacob deGrom underwent Tommy John surgery and may miss the entire 2024 season.

If Nola were to join the Rangers, it would be an interesting combination with deGrom and Scherzer, both of whom were competitors for the NL Cy Young Award in 2018. However, the Rangers could also consider re-signing Jordan Montgomery, who performed well in the postseason without requiring draft compensation.

It is expected that Nola will decline the qualifying offer from the Phillies and seek a lucrative deal in free agency. If the Rangers sign Nola, they would have to surrender draft picks and international bonus pool money due to their luxury tax status in 2023.

Other teams, such as the St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago Cubs, Boston Red Sox, San Francisco Giants, Atlanta Braves, and Baltimore Orioles, could also be potential landing spots for Nola. Therefore, any notion that a down year for Nola would make it easier or cheaper for the Phillies to re-sign him seems unlikely.

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