MLB notebook: Phillies extend Nola, announce Arrieta surgery

[February 14, 2019]  Philadelphia Phillies pitchers made news on Wednesday, with the announcements that Aaron Nola agreed to a four-year contract extension and Jake Arrieta underwent pre-spring training surgery on his left knee.

Terms of Nola's contract were not released, but ESPN and The Athletic placed the value at $45 million. Nola, 25, had been scheduled for an arbitration hearing this week.

Meanwhile, Phillies manager Gabe Kapler said Arrieta's surgery, performed a few weeks ago, repaired a meniscus injury the pitcher sustained while weight training. He is not expected to miss time in the regular season.

Nola and Arrieta are projected to give the Phillies a 1-2 punch at the top of the rotation. Last season, Nola was an All-Star, finishing 17-6 with a 2.37 ERA and 224 strikeouts in 212 1/3 innings over 33 starts. Arrieta went 10-11 with a 3.96 ERA and 138 strikeouts in 172 2/3 innings.

--New York Yankees left-hander CC Sabathia will announce in a news conference Saturday that he is retiring after the 2019 season, according to a report from MLB.com.

Sabathia signed a one-year, $8 million contract with the team in November. The following month, he underwent an angioplasty procedure to clear a blocked artery, but he got the go-ahead from doctors in January to resume workouts.
 

The 38-year-old has spent the past 10 seasons with the Yankees. He went 9-7 with a 3.65 ERA in 29 starts in 2018.

--Yankees outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury, who missed last season because of injuries, won't report to spring training on time due to recurring problems with plantar fasciitis.

Ellsbury, who has not resumed baseball activities, could join the team in March after continuing rehab in Arizona, manager Aaron Boone said at his first press conference of spring training from Tampa, Fla.

Ellsbury, 35, battled multiple injuries last season and underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left hip to repair a torn labrum in August. He has two years remaining on a seven-year, $153 million contract he signed as a free agent from the Boston Red Sox after the 2013 season.

--Three starting pitchers -- Houston's Gerrit Cole, Cleveland's Trevor Bauer and Cincinnati's Alex Wood -- picked up wins in arbitration cases, according to various reports.

Cole will earn $13.5 million this season, doubling his 2018 salary of $6.75 million. The Astros had offered $11.425 million.

Bauer, who has won 52 games for the Indians in the past four seasons, will make $13 million this season -- $2 million more than Cleveland had offered. Wood, 28, won his case and will receive $9.65 million. The Reds had countered with $8.7 million.

--Chicago Cubs closer Brandon Morrow confirmed he will not be ready for the start of the season following elbow surgery in November.

Morrow, 34, said he intends to throw from 90 feet this week at the club's spring training facility in Mesa, Ariz. He gradually will increase to longer distances before returning to the mound.

Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Aaron Nola (27) pitches during the first inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

--The Arizona Diamondbacks conducted their first spring training workout without ace Zack Greinke. The team confirmed that the right-hander asked for a few extra days before reporting to camp with the pitchers and catchers in Scottsdale, Ariz.

--The San Francisco Giants acquired pitcher Trevor Gott from the Washington Nationals in exchange for cash considerations. Gott, 26, went 0-2 with a 5.68 ERA in 20 relief appearances for the Nationals last season.

The Giants moved pitcher Johnny Cueto to the 60-day disabled list to make room for Gott on their 40-man roster.

--The Chicago White Sox continue their optimistic wait for free agent Manny Machado.

A vacant locker meant for Machado -- who was offered a seven-year deal by the White Sox in January -- at the team's spring training complex sits available and between two players who would be familiar faces to Machado.

His brother-in-law, newly acquired first baseman Yonder Alonso, and training partner and good friend Jon Jay, signed as an outfield addition, are positioned on either side of the open space dedicated to Machado.

--The Arizona Diamondbacks signed former Baltimore Orioles catcher Caleb Joseph to a one-year contract and placed right-hander Taijuan Walker on the 60-day injured list.

Joseph, 32, batted .224 with 31 homers and 122 RBIs over 402 games with the Orioles from 2014-18.

Walker, 26, started three games for Arizona last season before undergoing Tommy John surgery on his right elbow on April 25. He is expected to be out until mid-July.

--Tuning in to Chicago Cubs baseball will be simplified by this time next year.

The team announced at the outset of spring training the launch of a regional sports TV channel, Marquee Sports Network, beginning in 2020.

The channel is set to become the exclusive home of Cubs games, which are currently broadcast on WGN-TV and NBC Sports Chicago.

-- Field Level Media

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