All-Star Pitcher for Philadelphia Phillies Has Become 'Expendable'

Could the Philadelphia Phillies decide to move on from an All-Star starter?

Oct 9, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Ranger Suarez (55) throws a pitch against the New York Mets in the first inning in game four of the NLDS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Citi Field. | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The Philadelphia Phillies haven’t had as busy of an offseason as some might have thought, but they seem to be pleased with where the team stands.

After an early exit in the postseason, it appeared like major changes could be on the way for the Phillies this winter. However, while they did shake things up in the bullpen a bit, there weren’t the major changes that were being floated around early in the offseason.

Now, Philadelphia will once again be looking to be a contender in 2025. The team is largely the same as last year, with perhaps an upgraded starting rotation.

However, the very early exit from the postseason in 2024 has to be concerning. The front office should continue to try to find ways to improve the team both in the near term and the long term.

Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report recently spoke about what could be on the wish list for the Phillies before the start of Spring Training. After addressing their needs so far this winter, he highlighted potentially exploring trades of a few veterans.

“These include Alec Bohm, Nick Castellanos, and Ranger Suárez, the last of whom seems that much more expendable after the Luzardo trade.”

When Philadelphia made the trade for Luzardo, it likely raised the eyebrows of Suarez. The talented southpaw will be entering the final season of his contract before becoming a free agent.

The 29-year-old has developed into a good starting pitcher in the past few years for the Phillies, and throughout his career, he has totaled a strong 3.42 ERA. However, despite pitching well, he has never totaled more than 160 innings in a season.

With the Phillies already paying starters like Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola a lot of money, they might have already made the decision not to pay Suárez.

Adding Luzardo not only provides them with the final starter that they needed in the rotation, but it also gives them insurance if they do decide to move on from Suárez.

Furthermore, with top prospect Andrew Painter potentially ready to pitch in the majors this year, Philadelphia might elect to trade the talented southpaw and recoup some prospects.

This potential decision makes a lot of sense if there is no intention of keeping him beyond this season and pitchers like Luzardo and Painter are performing well. Letting players walk in free agency for nothing is never ideal, and this could be a good course of action for the Phillies.

While a trade before the season might be a bit unlikely at this point, Suarez will be a player to keep an eye on in the trade market moving forward.