Left-handed starter Ranger Suárez is set to become a free agent for the first time in his career this winter. He'll be among the top starting pitchers on the market, which will make the Philadelphia Phillies' ability to retain him that much harder.
Suárez will command a respectable contract, with other teams bidding for his services. It won't be a given for him to return to a stacked Phillies rotation. His latest contract prediction could also put the Phillies completely out of contention to re-sign him.
Free agent Ranger Suárez may cost the Phillies too much to keep him
Jim Bowden of The Athletic predicts that Suárez will fetch a deal around six years and $164 million (subscription required). That would put his annual value in the neighborhood of $27.3 million per year.
The deal wouldn't be groundbreaking per se, but the Phillies would have to let Suárez walk if the price truly gets that high. They're already working over the luxury tax, and with pitching coming in abundance for the Phillies, it wouldn't make any sense to bring Suárez back, adding another contract to the books. He also hired Scott Boras as his agent to get every possible dollar on the market.
Suárez has been great in his time with the Phillies. He was an All-Star for the first time in 2024 and followed it up with another great season in 2025. In 26 starts, Suárez went 12-8 with a 3.20 ERA and 151 strikeouts in 157 1/3 innings.
As Bowden explains, Suárez isn't a typical modern-day flamethrower. He sits around the low 90s mph on his sinker and four-seam fastballs, but his secondary pitches make him very effective and efficient as a strike-thrower.
Suárez has been that same, efficient, calm pitcher ever since he began his career, but the Phillies are in a tough spot with their current rotation. Zack Wheeler ($126 million), Aaron Nola ($172 million) and Cristopher Sánchez ($22.5 million) are all under contract. Recent acquisition Jesús Luzardo is still cheaper while in arbitration. That doesn't even factor in Taijuan Walker or rising top pitching prospect Andrew Painter, who is looking to debut in 2026.
The Phillies did say that they wouldn't be able to re-sign everyone. Kyle Schwarber, J.T. Realmuto and Suárez all played out the final year of their deals in 2025, and now the front office has to be conscious of where the team can spend money. Suárez has been a great Phillie, but as his market heats up, the less likely it is he'll be back in red pinstripes.