Could the Philadelphia Phillies actually make this move?
The Philadelphia Phillies could definitely stand to add another starting pitcher thanks to Ranger Suarez's departure and Zack Wheeler set to miss the beginning of 2026 as he recovers from thoracic outlet syndrome.
What was a major strength for the Phillies last season has suddenly become a potential weakness, and the problem is that Philadelphia does not exactly have a whole lot of money to spend to address it.
Team president Dave Dombrowski said on Monday that the Phillies are eyeing starting pitching depth before the start of the campaign and didn't rule out trades, but there are also still some intriguing arms available in free agency.
Cole Weintraub of NBC Sports Philadelphia named one in particular: Justin Verlander.
"If the soon-to-be 43-year-old wants meaningful innings, a chance to add to his 266 wins, and an opportunity to mentor a young starter like [Andrew] Painter, Philadelphia checks those boxes," Weintraub wrote of Verlander. "The money, environment and timing would all have to line up, but the Dombrowski connection is real. He drafted the three-time Cy Young award winner in 2004 with Detroit."
Justin Verlander. Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images.Verlander made 29 starts for the San Francisco Giants in 2025, logging a 3.85 ERA while allowing 155 hits and registering 137 strikeouts over 152 innings.
Was it vintage Verlander? No, but it was solid enough, and it should be noted that the future Hall-of-Famer managed a 2.99 ERA during the second half of the season.
Verlander would definitely comprise a enticing back-end-of-the-rotation option for the Phillies, who have Cristopher Sanchez, Jesus Luzardo and then a whole lot of question marks on their pitching staff.
Of course, whether or not Philadelphia would be willing to pay Verlander is dicey.
The Phillies were slapped with a $56 million luxury tax bill after last year, and with Philadelphia currently having a $312 million payroll heading into 2026, it will get hit with a 110 percent tax penalty on every dollar it spends from here on out.
It seemed pretty clear all winter that the Phillies were concerned about their finances, and it seems hard to imagine that that has changed now.
But if Philadelphia is comfortable spending just a bit, Verlander would represent a terrific option.
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