According to Jon Heyman of the MLB Network, Aaron Nola elected to stay in the City of Brotherly Love and continue playing for the Philadelphia Phillies despite apparently receiving more offers from other teams in MLB free agency.
“Nola met with other teams and turned down more $ to remain in Philly. Teams love Nola for his dependability, but Philly players love Philly.”
As one of the biggest names in MLB free agency, there was no doubt that Aaron Nola got plenty of interest from pitching-hungry teams outside of Philly. But apparently, even the promise of making more money with another team was not enough to convince Nola to start a new chapter of his career somewhere else. Nola’s new contract with the Phillies is worth $172 million spread over the course of seven years.
Aaron Nola stays with the Phillies following interest from other teams
Nola, drafted by Philadelphia in the first round (seventh overall) of the 2014 MLB Draft, did not have sparkling numbers in the 2023 regular season but he had his moments in the playoffs. In four starts in the 2023 MLB postseason, Nola went 3-1 with a 2.35 ERA and .214 opponents’ batting average. Back in the 2023 MLB regular season, he went 12-0 with a 4.46 ERA and 1.151 WHIP across 32 starts. In any case, his mediocre numbers in the 2023 regular season did not seemingly affect his ability to command a hefty contract from the Phillies.
The 30-year-old Nola’s best season in the majors remains his 2018 campaign during which he went 17-6 with a 2.37 ERA in 33 starts, while also earning an All-Star nod.