Phillies avoided $140 million mistake amid beloved lefty’s 8.64 ERA start to 2026 originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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The Philadelphia Phillies had a few free agents to make decisions on this past offseason, and they brought back J.T. Realmuto and Kyle Schwarber while letting Harrison Bader and Ranger Suarez walk.
The departure of Surez, a beloved lefty by Phillies fans, was a tough loss. He signed with the Boston Red Sox on a huge $140 million deal across five years. That huge deal was essentially what the Phillies gave Jesus Luzardo not long after.
While it might not have been the most popular decision(s) at the time, it was, at least so far, the right call. As @BaseballWRLD_ shared on Twitter/x, the struggles from Suarez lately have been a major issue for the Red Sox, and a disaster avoided for the Phillies.
Phillies avoid massive disaster in Ranger Suarez
This post from @BaseballWRLD_ highlights just how much Saurez has struggled since signing with the Red Sox. Whether it was spring training, the World Baseball Classic, or the 2026 MLB regular season, Suarez has struggled.
In spring training, Suarez posted an 11.00 ERA in three starts across 9.0 innings pitched while giving up 14 hits and a 1.67 WHIP.
In the World Baseball Classic, Suarez allowed 11.57 ERA with a 2.14 WHIP and six hits across 4.2 innings pitched.
And now, in the regular season, across two starts, he’s allowed a 1.92 WHIP and 13 hits across 8.1 innings pitched with an 8.64 ERA.
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The Phillies, by not signing Suarez to that massive $140 million deal, avoided a massive mistake. While he’s beloved by Phillies fans, this production would be very concerning.
Combined with his previous back issues and multiple injured list stints, there would be plenty of concern from fans about Suarez’s production if he were pitching like that for the Phillies.
Instead, he will have ended his Phillies tenure on a high note in 2025 with a 3.20 ERA in 26 starts to go with his ridiculous 1.48 ERA in 42.2 innings in the postseason.
The 30-year-old lefty is signed for the next five years, on a $140 million deal. At least through the first 22 innings pitched with the Red Sox, it’s been a complete disaster for Suarez and Boston.
Luzardo, even after a shaky first start of 2026, has been solid. He’s been much better than Suarez, and is signed for less than what Suarez got as well, further making the Phillies decision to let Suarez walk and extend Luzardo look like the right move.
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