Phillies Rumors: Surprising homegrown starter could join the offseason trade block

With MLB’s GM meetings wrapping up on Thursday, we got one final nugget out of the annual gathering of GMs that kickstarts the offseason. Most of the Philadelphia Phillies news from San Antonio has been unsurprising, with president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski essentially reiterating that he’s keeping an open mind this winter.

He made this his stance during his end-of-season press conference and nothing has changed (subscription required), according to Matt Gelb of The Athletic.

“I think we’re (more) open-minded than we have been in other years," Dombrowski said, per Gelb.

This is about as vague as Dombrowski could be, not unexpectedly. Players who we once thought of as key pieces the Phillies would continue to build around as the core of star players ages could be on the move this winter. Players like third baseman Alec Bohm and outfielder Brandon Marsh have already been the focus of plenty of offseason trade speculation, pretty much since the Phillies bowed out early in the NLDS.

Phillies Rumors: Ranger Suárez could be the next player added to the offseason trade block

As Gelb posits, starting pitcher Ranger Suárez might be on that list of expendable players who the Phillies consider as trade bait to improve other areas of the roster.

Let's make one thing clear here before we get too wound up: The Phillies have never said that Suárez is on the trade block or that they're trying to trade him. Gelb just suggests that the left-hander isn't guaranteed to be in the team's long-term plans and, therefore, is a candidate to be used in trade.

Despite many of us assuming the Phillies would try to extend Suárez, the argument for moving him makes sense.

Now 29, the homegrown talent just had his best season in a Phillies uniform, even if it wasn't the most consistent of campaigns. After a dominant first half, Suárez finished the regular season with a 12-6 record in 27 starts, with a 3.46 ERA and 1.20 WHIP despite his horrible finish to the season — that's how good he was to start the season.

Even though the Phillies lost his Game 4 start in the NLDS, Suárez battled into the fifth inning without allowing a run while striking out eight, giving his team a chance to win. Suárez's postseason resume — a 1.43 ERA and 1.04 WHIP through 10 games over the last three seasons — will only serve to increase his trade value.

He's heading into his final year of arbitration, projected for a more than $3 million raise to $8.9 million if it gets to a hearing, before becoming a free agent after the 2025 season. Without a contract extension, it tracks that Suárez is going to be a popular topic for trade rumor fodder from now up until next summer's trade deadline.

At least if he is traded this offseason, the career Phillie went out with a strong showing in his final start for the Phillies.

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