Phillies and Aaron Nola may be headed to arbitration
The Philadelphia Phillies announced on Friday the club avoided arbitration hearings with eight different players, but the bigger story is the lack of an agreement between the club and hurler Aaron Nola.

Nola, according to sources is seeking $6.75 million, while the Phillies filed at $4.5 million. The disparity in figures means the case will be taken to arbitration next month. The two sides can potentially negotiate an agreement through before that happens. If a deal isn't reached, an arbitration panel of three judges will select one of the two figures to be Nola's salary for 2019.

Nola, 25, finished third in National League Cy Young voting this past season with a 2.37 ERA to go along with 17 wins.

Nola isn't eligible for free agency until after the 2021 season, but the potential exists that he and the Phillies could work out a long-term deal in the coming weeks that could keep him in Philadelphia well beyond.

The Phillies did announce one-year deals with second baseman Cesar Hernandez ($7.75 million), third baseman Maikel Franco ($5.2 million), right-hander Vince Velasquez ($2.249 million), lefty relievers Jose Alvarez ($1.925 million) and Adam Morgan ($1.1 million), outfielder Aaron Altherr ($1.35 million), reliever Hector Neris ($1.8 million) and right-hander Jerad Eickhoff ($975,000).

Spring Training Invites

The Phillies announced three roster additions on Friday and also shared a list of non-roster invitees that'll be in camp in Clearwater next month.

Infielders Gift Ngoepe and Andrew Romine have been signed by the club to minor league deals and given invites to Spring Training.

Romine, 33, is a career .235 hitter with 38 doubles, 10 home runs, 81 RBI and 40 stolen bases. He's played in nine major league seasons.

Ngoepe, 28, spent most of 2018 with triple-A Buffalo in the Toronto Blue Jays organization where he hit .168 with three doubles, two home runs, and eight RBI. He is the first native of continental Africa to appear in a major league game.

The Phils also inked lefty Edward Paredes to a minor league deal with an invite. The 32-year-old reliever went 3-2 with a 3.79 ERA, two saves and 41 strikeouts in 35.2 innings with triple-A Oklahoma City in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization in 2018.

As far as internal invitees to camp, the Phillies will see left-handers Jo Jo Romero, Tyler Gilbert, and Cole Irvin in Clearwater, along with outfielders Mickey Moniak, Adam Haseley, Austin Listi, infielder Malquin Canelo, and catcher Deivi Grullón.
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Follow Patrick on Twitter: @PGordonPBR

BY PATRICK GORDON
Managing Editor
pgordon@philadelphiabaseballreview.com

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