Report: Padres, Angels, White Sox among teams with interest in Wheeler

The Los Angeles Angels, San Diego Padres, and Chicago White Sox are among the teams demonstrating an interest in signing right-hander Zack Wheeler, sources told Jon Paul Morosi of MLB.com.

According to Morosi, early indications suggest Wheeler is likely to decline the New York Mets' $17.8-million qualifying offer by Thursday afternoon's deadline in order to hit free agency for the first time.

The Mets are not expected to give up if Wheeler declines the qualifying offer, though.

New York is interested in offering the right-hander a multi-year deal, according to Jon Heyman of MLB Network. If it's unable to retain him, the team would pursue other free agents or trades to fill its rotation.

Any other team that signs him would be required to surrender a compensatory pick to the Mets in next summer's draft.

The 29-year-old is coming off a season where he went 11-8 with a 3.96 ERA and 1.26 WHIP over a career-high 195 1/3 innings.

Often injured, Wheeler has put together back-to-back full seasons of work. In 2018, a career pinnacle, he recorded a 3.31 ERA and 1.12 WHIP over 29 starts.