The Philadelphia Phillies could be facing major roster changes this offseason, with left-handed pitcher Ranger Suárez emerging as one of the most sought-after free agents in baseball. After another strong season, the 2024 All-Star is expected to draw significant attention — and a lucrative deal — on the open market.
MLB analyst Daniel Curran of Just Baseball identified the Atlanta Braves as a top landing spot for Suárez, suggesting that the division rival could make an aggressive push for his signature.
“After a season to forget in 2025, the Braves need to retool if they want to become contenders again in a loaded NL East,” Curran wrote. “Signing Suárez would not only add long-term stability to the rotation, but it would also take a key player from a division rival.”
Atlanta’s pitching depth has become a growing concern. Veteran Chris Sale is nearing the end of his career at 37, Spencer Schwellenbach missed three months with injury, and Hurston Waldrep has limited major-league experience. Meanwhile, Spencer Strider and Reynaldo López both struggled in 2025. Suárez, Curran argued, could provide the consistency and reliability the Braves desperately need.
Curran projects Suárez to sign a multi-year contract worth around $25 million per season, a deal that would cement him as one of the top-paid left-handed starters in baseball. “If Atlanta wants to recover from last year, this might be a viable way to get back to the postseason,” he added.
Suárez has been a cornerstone of the Phillies’ rotation since breaking out in 2021. In the 2025 season, he posted a 12–8 record with a 3.20 ERA across 26 starts, continuing his reputation as one of the league’s most dependable mid-rotation arms.
Despite his success, Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski has hinted that the team may struggle to retain all of its key contributors. Speaking on the Foul Territory podcast, Dombrowski referenced the team’s top four pitchers — Zack Wheeler, Cristopher Sánchez, Jesús Luzardo, and Aaron Nola — but notably did not include Suárez in that group.
“Anytime you can throw Wheeler, Sanchez, Luzardo, and Nola as your top four, no matter what happens with Suárez, you’re in pretty good shape to move forward,” Dombrowski said.
His comment raised eyebrows, fueling speculation that Philadelphia might be preparing for life without Suárez. Dombrowski acknowledged that re-signing every free agent would be difficult, especially with several younger players in the system pushing for roster spots.
“It’s going to be hard to sign all of our players because there are so many of them,” Dombrowski admitted. “We’ll have to do a lot of balancing. It’s going to be a tough winter, but we still have a chance to put together a very good club.”
According to ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel, Suárez ranks as the 11th-best free agent available this offseason. McDaniel predicts the 29-year-old will land a four-year, $92 million contract, or roughly $23 million per season, drawing comparisons to recent deals signed by Jordan Montgomery and Eduardo Rodríguez.
“There are parallels with Montgomery and Rodríguez as left-handers with solid command, durability, and postseason experience,” McDaniel wrote. “But Suárez is younger and had the better platform year, so four — or even five — years and nine figures seem reasonable.”
Whether the Phillies will match that level of commitment remains uncertain. With financial flexibility and a strong core still intact, Philadelphia could pivot toward developing its younger pitchers rather than investing heavily in free agency.
Still, losing Suárez would mean parting with one of the club’s most reliable arms — and potentially watching him join a division rival. As negotiations unfold, the Phillies must decide whether stability and continuity outweigh the financial cost of keeping their All-Star lefty.
