The Philadelphia Phillies might not want to pay guys just yet, but with everyone around the league giving extensions to young talent, it might be what has to happen. That’s what happens when a talent like Andrew Painter shows up and looks as good as he did in his first start. After his big league debut, there’s a lot of hype about what Painter can become and it’s very exciting to think about.
That’s why FanSided’s Ethan Williams thinks extending him now could be a good idea after the deals we saw handed out in MLB over the past few weeks.
Painter has long been viewed as a future ace, and while he only has a start under his belt, he has the stuff to be a dude for a long time.
“Wunderkind right-hander Andrew Painter is all the rage in Philly right now, as the 22-year-old absolutely shoved in his big league debut Tuesday night. The longtime top-100 prospect appears to be in the fast lane to ace status, and as a result could earn himself a bundle. The Phillies have no problem paying their pitchers, as they already have big money on the books for Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Cristopher Sánchez and Jesús Luzardo.
“Committing to Painter long-term would be a bit of a gamble given his recent injury issues, but could pay off in spades if he ascends to dominance as expected. Hunter Greene, a similarly electric, yet fragile, hurler secured a six-year, $53 million guarantee from the Cincinnati Reds a few years back, which could serve as the blueprint for a Painter extension,” he wrote.
Some argue that there isn’t much of a reason to give these guys a payday before they hit arbitration or free agency. However, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic had the latest on that and a lot of what he said made sense.
“Teams only award extensions to players they project will outperform the contracts, producing surplus value. Owners crave cost certainty, especially near the end of a collective-bargaining agreement. And the expiration of the current CBA on Dec. 1 provides even more incentive for MLB franchises to lock up young talent. Among many possibilities, the owners might try to tempt the players into accepting a salary cap by offering free agency earlier than the current six-year mark. The Seattle Mariners, in the eight-year, $95 million deal they awarded infielder Colt Emerson on Tuesday, bought out a minimum of two free-agent years, and as many as three if they exercise a club option.
“The additional control will be even more valuable if players in the next CBA can hit the open market sooner. Even if the CBA remains unchanged, the Mariners will come out ahead if Emerson’s extension proves a bargain, as these deals often do,” he wrote.
Whether the Phillies want to do that with Painter remains to be seen. It’s a tough market right now but he surely looks like someone who should get his money soon.