The Philadelphia Phillies appear comfortable with the possibility of losing free-agent pitcher this offseason. With several high-end arms already in place, the team doesn’t seem inclined to invest heavily to keep him. Andrew Painter, regarded as one of baseball’s premier prospects, is expected to be big-league ready by Opening Day, further reducing the urgency to commit major money to him. That raises the question of where the left-hander might land next.
Bailey Bassett of ClutchPoints recently predicted Ranger Suárez could secure a lucrative four-year, $85 million contract and identified the Toronto Blue Jays as an ideal destination. “The Philadelphia Phillies have a lot of impending free agents. A handful of them will surely bolt in free agency. Ranger Suarez might not be an ace, but he is a really good second or third starting pitcher,” Bassett wrote. He added that, “If the Blue Jays are willing to pay Bichette, they need to also add the pieces that can get them over the hump and past the Dodgers. Los Angeles clearly had the better rotation in the World Series, but adding Suarez would help change that.”
Toronto remains one of baseball’s strongest clubs, yet the organization clearly needs to bolster its pitching depth. The Blue Jays are expected to make a strong push for Bo Bichette in free agency, but they may also pursue Suárez as a complementary addition. Slotting Suárez near the top of their rotation could significantly elevate their postseason outlook. When he’s performing at his peak, the left-hander has shown the upside of a frontline starter, and adding him could be a pivotal step toward another World Series run.