The Philadelphia Phillies' biggest moves in MLB free agency were bringing back their 2025 roster. They re-signed both Kyle Schwarber and JT Realmuto, looking to run back their core. But there was one player they let walk, and they should have brought him back. The Phillies should have brought back Ranger Suarez in free agency instead of letting him sign with the Boston Red Sox.
The Phillies had Suarez as a key cog of their rotation from 2021-25. Last year was one of his best, with a 3.20 ERA and a 4.7 bWAR. He was solid all year long, but his performances when Zack Wheeler went out were imperative to Philadelphia's division title. Without Suarez, the pressure will be on Wheeler, whose health is in question.
Wheeler was shut down in mid-August with venous thoracic outlet syndrome in his right shoulder. He will turn 36 years old during this season, so expecting the Cy Young greatness of years past may not be realistic. His incredible career with the Phillies could go on, but having Suarez as insurance would have been wise.
Suarez signed a five-year, $130 million deal with the Boston Red Sox in free agency. Not only is that less expensive than some other top-end pitchers on the market, but he is not going somewhere to be the ace. Suarez will slot in behind Garrett Crochet for the Sox when he could be slotting in behind Wheeler.
The Phillies got a Cy Young-caliber season out of Cristopher Sanchez last year, which is the excuse they will use for not re-signing Suarez. But the health questions around Wheeler make that point moot. Their rotation is weaker in 2026 than it was in 2025, which is not a good plan heading into a competitive season in the NL East.
The Phillies won't have a clear path in the NL East this year
For much of the 2025 season, the Phillies and New York Mets jockeyed for the top spot in the NL East. But after the All-Star Break, the Phills pulled away, winning the division by 13 games. Part of that was because Philadelphia went 41-25 after the break, but New York did not exactly chase them down, with a 28-37 second-half record.
The Mets reloaded in the offseason, replacing Pete Alonso, Edwin Diaz, and Brandon Nimmo with Bo Bichette, Marcus Semien, Luis Robert Jr, and Devin Williams. After that summer collapse in Queens, Steve Cohen and David Sterns attacked this offseason to make sure that does not happen again. The Phillies may think they are the better team on paper, but the Mets are not going to lie down again.
The Atlanta Braves finished with a worse record than the Miami Marlins last year, partially thanks to a 0-7 start. They still have an All-Star-filled roster and a great pitching rotation that could come back into NL playoff contention. It has been two years since they made it past the Wild Card Round, so many have forgotten about them. But the Phillies cannot rule out the Braves making a run this year.
The Phillies did not add a significant new piece, losing out on Bichette to the Mets. But not making Suarez one of those pieces will come back to bite them. They could have found a veteran catcher who was cheaper than Realmuto, but brought him back on a three-year deal.
When the Phillies let Suarez walk, they still could have replaced him in free agency or in a trade. But Freddy Peralta was traded to the Mets, and Framber Valdez signed with the Detroit Tigers. With Tarik Skubal staying in the Motor City, there are not many great options left.
Who can the Phillies sign to fill out their rotation?
Suarez is a left-handed starter, which there are not many of on the open market right now. Nestor Cortes is the best lefty available, which would not move the needle in Philadelphia. If they wanted to go for a righty, Nick Martinez, Justin Verlander, and Max Scherzer would be solid options.
These are all one-year contract candidates, which should keep the price down. That will help the Phillies attack the trade deadline in the summer if they need a boost to power past the Mets and Braves. Will the Phillies make another move?
