January 03, 2026
The longer free agency drags on, the better for a prospective team. With no salary cap, MLB free agency is often a buyers market. Phillies former stud starter Ranger Suárez is a free agent and weighing his options. And clearly as free agency has stretched into 2026 now, there is no offer on the table impressive enough to compel a decision.
The Phillies should be interested, right?
There are some major questions in the starting rotation. Even as Cris Sánchez returns after a second-place Cy Young performance, it's anyone's guess what the rotation will look like come April.
• Zack Wheeler is a question mark as he returns from major surgery last fall
• Aaron Nola is returning from his worst season as a pro
• Andrew Painter will have every opportunity to earn a fifth starter spot, but it's no guarantee he'll earn it
• Taijuan Walker would be an underwhelming final starter
Beyond Sánchez and Jesús Luzardo, there aren't many starters you can feel good about right now. Yes, it's possible their 1-through-5 is healthy and performs as one of the best rotations in baseball as is — from Wheeler and Nola on through Sánchez and Luzardo and Painter grabbing that last slot. But why take the chance?
According to reports, however, the Phillies aren't thinking that way. After Suárez went 12-8 with a 3.20 ERA in 2025, he remains at large and the Phils are not among the long list of teams interested in signing him.
“The Orioles, Giants, Mets and Cubs are among teams linked to Suárez," MLB insider Jon Heyman wrote Thursday. "He has elite command — he was judged having the best command in MLB and above-average location with six different pitches — but he hasn’t logged the enormous number of innings of Valdez.”
“Like [Framber] Valdez, Suárez has been linked to the Mets and Orioles throughout the winter, which is hardly a surprise given their respective needs for starting pitching," Mark Feinsand reported, h/t Yahoo.com. "But Suárez is two years younger than Valdez, making him a more appealing option for potential suitors.”
Notice anything missing? Any mention of Suárez' former team, the Phillies.
Dave Dombrowski isn't always outspoken and doesn't always make moves through the media. It's possible he's keeping quiet and is considering making an offer, even with the Phillies expected to be over the luxury tax again in 2026. But it's peculiar that there are no links between the lefty and his former team, which does in theory have use for him.
We'll have to see what happens as spring training approaches, just over one month away.
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