Welcome to the 2025-26 version of Smash or Pass, wherein we study potential free agent and commerce targets to find out whether or not the Pink Sox ought to pursue them and what it could take to land them. At present we have a look at a rotation-lengthening possibility out of Philadelphia.
The Pink Sox want beginning pitching. You may by no means have sufficient pitching is a saying for a purpose. It made Craig Breslew’s selections to shoot for the moon on Joe Ryan after which purchase Dustin Could affordable as a result of regardless of how effectively issues have been going or how shut, say, Payton Tolle and Connelly Early have been, including extra depth was a good suggestion. Clearly we will debate the particulars — everybody noticed the Dustin Could story ending poorly — however he did give them a number of good innings and ate a number of extra. It’s nonetheless attainable that if not Could then a worse pitcher would have been in these video games. Whereas he’s not the quantity two everybody needs behind Garrett Crochet, one identify being thought-about in Ranger Suárez. This doesn’t match wherever else however Remy would have made a meal out of this identify.
Who’s he and the place does he come from?
Ranger Suárez is a 30-year-old left-handed pitcher who was a world signing out of Venezuela by the Philadelphia Phillies in 2012 and has spent his complete profession in that group. He made his main league debut in July 2018 and hung out within the rotation and bullpen via the 2021 season. From 2022-2025 he pitched solely within the rotation as a starter and the Phillies have been higher for it. His nickname is Mr. Rager, per Baseball-Reference, word the dearth of an ‘n’ there. He’s right here for the trend, not the vary.
Over the past 4 seasons he’s made 104 begins to a 3.59/3.57 ERA/FIP. That’s a median of about 4 WAR per season. His innings have been constant: 150, 125, 155, 157. His metrics have stayed about the identical for strikeouts, walks, hits, and homers. His prime comparability by similarity rating on Baseball Reference? Tarik Skubal. Then Mark Prior. Look, don’t put an excessive amount of inventory on this but it surely’s notable. He’s good not nice and about as accessible as a number of pitchers are lately: beneath 200 innings.
TL;DR: simply give me his 2025 stats
Why would he be an excellent match on the Pink Sox?
As talked about earlier, the Pink Sox want beginning pitching. Walker Buehler, Lucas Giolito, and Dustin Could are gone. Two of these guys kind of shared a rotation spot, however there are innings to fill. Are Tolle and Early prepared for that job? Most likely not. Kyle Harrison? Perhaps? However he’s just one participant and continues to be a piece in progress. For the Pink Sox to fill out an Opening Day rotation there are going to be additions from exterior the group, both by way of trades or signings. If we take Craig Breslow at his phrase (simply work with me right here) a quantity two will probably be acquired. If that’s Suárez, then hopefully the opposite MLB caliber pitcher can be fairly good to make 2-5 actually stable.
Why wouldn’t he be an excellent match on the Pink Sox?
We’re again to taking a look at an over-30 pitcher. Granted Suárez is mainly proper on the road, which makes him a greater match than Chris Bassit or Merrill Kelly, however the Sox philosophy is what it’s. And that’s going to imply no long run contracts for pitchers over 30. He may not match the definition of a man to pair with Crochet however he certain does match their definition of a pitcher previous the age threshold they need to signal.
What would it not take to get him?
The overall consensus is someplace close to 5 years, $130 million.
How about putting out the MVP?
Sigh. I assume this can be a move. A protracted-term contract and draft choose for an over 30 left-handed pitcher most likely on the draw back of his profession? He shaves off some danger with the considerably lowered workload throughout his swingman days however is that sufficient? Can he be a quantity two, or is he a 3 pushing Bello to 4 (which might be a deep rotation!)?
