Phillies could go for Sonny Gray if $100,000,000 impasse with Aaron Nola isn't resolved, per MLB insider: "[They] will be a top suitor"

The Philadelphia Phillies will set their sights on All-Star free agent pitcher Sonny Gray if they cannot retain Aaron Nola. Nola is also a free agent; retaining him will not be cheap.

Nola is looking for a big-time contract, close to $25 million yearly and above the $100 million range. While the team extended a qualifying offer to him, he will unlikely accept it. He has until Nov. 14 to decide.

While Philadelphia would love to have Nola back, it understands the difficulty. Gray, who is coming off an 8-8 season with a 2.79 ERA, would be a great replacement.

The Phillies are interested in Sonny Gray, sources say, and will be a top suitor for him if they do not retain free agent Aaron Nola. Gray holds a connection with Philadelphia's pitching coach, Caleb Cotham, as the two are former college teammates.

"The Phillies are interested in Sonny Gray, sources say, and will be a top suitor for him if they do not retain free agent Aaron Nola. Gray and Philly pitching coach Caleb Cotham are former college teammates and worked well together while Cotham was with the Reds" Jon Morosi reported.

Sonny Gray is older than Aaron Nola but is coming off a season with an MLB-best 2.83 FIP (Fielding Independent Pitching) and 0.4 HR9 (home runs per nine). This is the first time Gray has led the league in each of these categories in his career.

The Phillies cannot wait too long to decide on Aaron Nola or Sonny Gray

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The Phillies had an impressive run during the 2023 season. They won 90 games, making it to the postseason, but were taken out by the Arizona Diamondbacks in Game 7 of the NLCS.

They want to improve this offseason and come out swinging next year. To do this, they need a solid pitching rotation. As it stands, their rotation consists of Zach Wheeler, Taijuan Walker, Ranger Suarez and Cristopher Sanchez.

Philadelphia will have to buckle down and make a decision soon. There is no telling how fast some of these top pitchers on the free-agent market will go. Wait too long, and the team might lose out on both.

The easiest move will likely be to let Aaron Nola walk and sign Sonny Gray. Given his age, Gray will likely come on a shorter deal and would be the cheaper option.