Phillies face nightmare scenario with Ranger Suárez connected to hated NL East rival

It has seemed unlikely that Ranger Suárez would re-sign with the Philadelphia Phillies for some time now. Following his hiring of Scott Boras over a year ago, Suárez signified he intended to become a free agent. There are a few clubs in need of upgrades at starting pitching, and the lefty represents one of the top players available at his position.

Unfortunately, one team looking for a rotation upgrade is the division rival New York Mets.

The Mets suffered a collapse in the second half of last season, partly due to the unreliability of their starting rotation. The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon recently reported New York may pursue upgrades in the trade market (subscription required) for pitchers such as Tarik Skubal, Mackenzie Gore, Freddy Peralta, Kris Bubic, and Brady Singer.

However, rumors have connected them to the top pitchers available in free agency, such as Suárez and Framber Valdez. ESPN's Buster Olney predicted recently that New York will sign one of these two pitchers. Could Phillies fans have to watch the team face Suárez in the uniform of a division competitor for the next several seasons? It's possible.

Rival Mets considered a top suitor for Phillies free agent Ranger Suárez

Mets owner Steve Cohen has demonstrated a willingness to sign and trade for top players since becoming the majority owner before the 2021 season. Francisco Lindor, Juan Soto, Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander, and Clay Holmes are some of the players who have signed contracts under Cohen's ownership.

According to Olney, Suárez makes a lot of sense for the Mets signing.

"Suárez and Valdez, for sure," Olney said about which free agent pitchers have been coming up in recent conversations. "With the Mets still needing help in their rotation, it seems inevitable they'll land one of these two -- and Suárez makes a lot of sense, given his calm mound presence and experience pitching in a big market for all of those years in Philadelphia."

Phillies fans would obviously prefer that the Mets add Valdez rather than Suárez. Considering the rivalry between New York and Philadelphia in multiple professional sports leagues, Phillies fans would rather not see Suárez pitching in a Mets uniform.

The chances of New York adding Suárez could very well happen, though, as he has performed like a borderline No. 1 starter at times with the Phillies. He is an excellent mid-rotation option and arguably a solid second starting pitcher in any rotation.

Another factor that makes Suárez appealing to the Mets is his postseason success. In 11 contests, eight of which were starts, the 30-year-old has a 4-1 record, a 1.48 ERA, a 1.05 WHIP, 44 strikeouts, and 13 walks.

He saved one of his most clutch performances in a Phillies uniform for last, during Game 3 of the 2025 NLDS against the Los Angeles Dodgers. After surrendering a home run to the first batter he faced in relief of Aaron Nola, Suárez stymied Los Angeles' offense. He threw five innings, surrendering five hits, one earned run, and one walk while striking out four. His performance was significant as the Phillies avoided a three-game sweep at the hands of the Dodgers.

Suárez would be a boost to any rotation and the Mets require improvements to their starting rotation before the beginning of the regular season. The Phillies and their fans may not like it, but there is a good chance that Suárez signs a contract with the club's top rival.