Zack Wheeler and the Philadelphia Phillies agreed Monday on a $126 million, three-year contract for 2025-27, the fourth-highest average salary in baseball history at $42 million.

The Phillies’ ace gets $23.5 million this year in the final season of a $118 million, five-year contract, one of the best free agent contracts in Phillies history.

“I’ve really just enjoyed being here in Philly,” the 33-year-old right-hander said. “The fans are the best. Playing in Citizens Bank (Park) in October, there’s nothing like it.”

Wheeler’s average salary trails only Los Angeles Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani ($70 million), Texas pitcher Max Scherzer ($43.33 million) and Houston pitcher Justin Verlander ($43.33 million), the latter two who signed their deals with the New York Mets.

RED SOX: Josh Winckowski allowed one run on two hits in 2 2/3 innings in Boston’s 2-1 loss to the Detroit Tigers in Lakeland, Florida.

Winckowski allowed two hits and struck out two as he tries to win a spot in Boston’s starting rotation.

The Red Sox struck out 12 times against Detroit, including six times against starter Tarik Skubal, who pitched three scoreless innings.

Ceddanne Rafaela hit a solo home run for Boston.

CARDINALS: Cy Young runner-up Sonny Gray left his spring training start for St. Louis against the Washington Nationals with tightness in his right hamstring after getting two outs in the second inning.

The three-time All-Star had struck out two in two scoreless innings in his second spring training appearance, and he was cruising at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches before his hamstring tightened up. Gray allowed one hit and struck out one while throwing 20 pitches.

Gray, a 34-year-old right-hander, signed a $75 million, three-year contract with St. Louis to anchor an overhauled rotation that includes fellow newcomer Kyle Gibson and Lance Lynn, who returned to the Cardinals after spending the past six seasons bouncing around other clubs.

Gray went 8-8 with a 2.73 ERA in 32 starts for the Minnesota Twins last season, earning his third trip to the All-Star game. He finished a distant second to the Yankees’ Gerrit Cole in voting for the Cy Young Award.

RETIREMENT: Josh Donaldson says he’s retiring after a 13-year career in which he was voted the 2015 AL MVP and was selected to three All-Star Games.

The 38-year-old announced his plans during an appearance on “The Mayor’s Office,” a podcast hosted by former major league first baseman Sean Casey. Donaldson is a free agent after splitting last season between the New York Yankees and Milwaukee.

He finished fourth in the AL MVP balloting with Oakland in 2013 and won the award with Toronto two years later. During that 2015 season, Donaldson hit .297 with 41 homers and an AL-leading 123 RBI. Donaldson also led the AL in total bases (352) and topped the majors in runs (122) that season while helping the Blue Jays reach the AL Championship Series, where they lost to Kansas City.

FREE AGENCY: Scott Boras claims the free agent market is intensifying for two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell and left-hander Jordan Montgomery with Opening Day 3 1/2 weeks away for most teams.

“I think there’s a pitching panic going on in Major League Baseball right now,” the agent said.

Boras was at the San Francisco Giants’ training facility with third baseman Matt Chapman, a four-time Gold Glove winner who signed a three-year deal that guaranteed $54 million. Chapman and Chicago Cubs center fielder Cody Bellinger signed agreements after spring training had started.

Boras says the market for Snell and Montgomery has been changing as teams get into spring training games and realize they don’t have needed mound depth.

“We’ve got so many starting pitchers who are now compromised – maybe short-term, but some long-term,” Boras said. “The calls for elite starters are certainly starting to increase.”

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