I thought I’d just do a hot stove round-up instead of five single posts since there is so much stuff out there. The Phillies are “strong candidates” to sign Josh Hader:

Going from Craig Kimbrel to Josh Hader is like going from James Harden to Tyrese Maxey. The Phillies get to the World Series with Josh Hader this past year.

But Rob Thomson won’t be able to use him in multiple innings or in four-out save situations due to Hader’s “reluctance.” This won’t fly in Philly, via AJ Cassavell at MLB.com:

The Padres acquired Hader at the 2022 Trade Deadline fully understanding his reluctance to pitch multiple innings and to pitch three days in a row. They felt it was worth the trade-off, considering his dominance — and Hader has been dominant, posted a 1.19 ERA across 53 innings this season.

But with a bullpen that has otherwise dealt with injuries and inconsistencies, Hader’s pitching restrictions have come back to bite the Padres on multiple occasions this season. 

Asked for his thinking behind not making himself available for four outs on (Monday), or really, at any point down the stretch, Hader said: “It’s the situation that we were at.”

If the Phillies do sign him it’ll be the second straight year a free agent sent out a hype video and he became a Phillie:

Phillies have “legit interest” in Yoshinobu Yamamoto:

This is according to Jim Salisbury, who I guess is still reporting on Phillies news in his retirement. He was on WIP’s Midday Show:

“I hear they have legit interest in Yamamoto, and to me it makes a ton of sense,” Salisbury said of the Phillies on Tuesday’s 94WIP Midday Show with Hugh Douglas and Joe Giglio. “They might be a long shot, like I said given their lack of history with Japanese players, but so what? Go out and be aggressive and he might be an awfully good one to add because he’s an immediate contributor and someone who is going to be around for awhile.

“You seem his loosely connected to the Phillies, you more see him connected to the usual suspects like the two New Yorks, the Dodgers. To me, the Phillies are a big market team with a very aggressive owner, a very aggressive front office and an intense and huge will to win and a will to spend money. I know they don’t have history with Japanese players, but why not start one?

Yamamoto is 25 years old and an itty bitty 5’10, but he clocks in with a 95mph fastball and was on the World Baseball Classic team that won the championship last year.

There is Aaron Nola interest from the Yankees:

Another day, another Aaron Nola report. This time the Yankees are interested in him:

Who would’ve thought in Philly after 2022 Aaron Nola would be the belle of the ball in free agency. He’s been linked to everyone. The Braves, Cardinals, Phillies, and now the Yankees. He’s literally the illusion theory from Hall Pass:

He’s an 8 surrounding himself with ugly friends. Get him in last year’s class around Jacob DeGrom, Justin Verlander, and Carlos Rodon he’s the ugly duckling.