Ranger Suárez
Suárez has been one of the Phillies' more reliable players for the better part of three seasons now. He was signed as a teenager out of Venezuela in 2012. The left-hander made his MLB debut in 2018 and has been a versatile member of the club since then.
Over his MLB career, the left-hander has a 3.41 ERA and has already pitched in some huge spots for the Phillies. He has been a postseason hero for the club the past two seasons as well, pitching in relief as well as starting games. His value to the club cannot be understated given the uncertainty of the rotation heading into 2024.
With just over four years of MLB service time, the 28-year-old pitcher still has two arbitration years left before becoming a free agent in 2026 — his age-30 season. Suárez is projected to make around $5 million in 2024. The Phillies should consider signing him to a deal similar to Nola's in 2019. The two are somewhat comparable in some ways. Nola is entering his free agent season at the same age that Suárez would. Both have similar track records at their age 28 seasons.
With the lack of starting pitching around Major League Baseball, it is imperative that the Phillies lock up their best left-handed starter prior to him becoming a free agent. If the club can sign Suárez to a four-year deal worth around $50 million, it would keep him in Phillies' pinstripes until the 2028 season. It would buy out his final two arbitration years — giving him a well-deserved raise — and buy out his first two years of free agency.
The contract would offer the native Venezuelan a hefty paycheck compared to what he is projected to make via arbitration and would be club-friendly after the 2025 season. It should be a no-brainer for Dave Dombrowski and company to find a way to sign Suárez and keep him as a part of this Phillies rotation.