Phillies Stay or Go: Ranger Suarez

It feels hard to believe, but Ranger Suarez has been with the Phillies for eight years.

They signed him as an international amateur free agent in 2012 when he was 16 years old in Venezuela. He worked his way through the ranks starting in 2014, and eventually made it to the majors in 2018 when the Phillies needed an additional starting pitcher. He returned to Triple-A in 2019 but was a mainstay within the Phillies by the end of June.

Since then, the 30-year-old fluctuated between mid-inning reliever, to closer, and eventually to one of the best starting pitchers in baseball.

The left-hander got a later start to his 2025 season, but finished with a 3.20 ERA and 151 strikeouts over 157.1 innings in 26 starts, including a 1.22 WHIP. He also came up huge in Game 3 of the NLDS against the Dodgers, where he piggybacked Aaron Nola and threw five innings of one-run ball while striking out four.

In Suarez’s 11 playoff appearances, eight of them starts, he has a 1.48 ERA. That is amongst the best in playoff history.

However, it just feels way too unlikely that Suarez is returning to the Phillies. There is so much going against it.

For one, Suarez would be the ace in almost every other rotation in the league. If Zack Wheeler is able to pitch in 2026 and return to his Cy Young form, there is a lot of starting pitching depth currently under contract. And if Andrew Painter can make the MLB rotation after a rough season in the minors, there will be no room for Suarez.

The Phillies’ rotation is already loaded with left-handers. That is why Suarez’s usage in the NLDS was so awkward; he was just the odd man out between him, Jesus Luzardo, and Cristopher Sanchez.

The Phillies will most likely explore other ways to spend their money, rather than handing Suarez a bag in which he is projected to earn. He is expected to get a six-year deal worth somewhere between $161 million $164 million. The Phillies are already set to pay their starters over $88 million in 2026, the second-highest in baseball behind only the Dodgers.

It pains me to say, but…

FINAL VERDICT: GO

Suarez will forever go down as a great Phillie. His playoff heroics, his calmness on the mound, and his gamesmanship will never be forgotten.

However, the Phillies have other issues they need to deal with.

The Phillies are expected to offer Schwarber his qualifying offer of one year, $22.025 million, which he will certainly decline by the 4:00 p.m. ET on November 18 deadline.

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