The Philadelphia Phillies boasted one of baseball’s best rotations in 2024. Now, they face crucial decisions about its future.
Zack Wheeler delivered another Cy Young-caliber season, while Aaron Nola maintained his consistency. Cristopher Sanchez emerged as an All-Star, and Ranger Suárez, also a first-time All-Star, dominated in the first half before a back injury derailed his second-half performance.
Despite rotating through No. 5 starters due to Taijuan Walker’s struggles, the rotation remained largely dominant throughout the regular season.
Wheeler, Nola, and Sanchez are signed long-term. However, Suárez is arbitration-eligible and will become a free agent after 2025.
Could the Phillies consider trading Suárez? The possibility isn’t as remote as it might seem.
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Philadelphia Phillies starter Ranger Suárez could be trade target
The Athletic’s Matt Gelb reports that Suárez could be a trade target for other teams, as Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski is approaching the offseason with an “open-minded” perspective. Dombrowski has already stated that acquiring good players requires trading good players.
“The 2025 calculus has to include 2026 and beyond. Suárez, who will be a free agent after the 2025 season, is not guaranteed to factor into the longer-term plan. Andrew Painter should join the rotation sometime in 2025, then factor in a larger role come 2026,” Gelb wrote.
In the first half of 2024, Suárez emerged as a Cy Young favorite. He posted a 10-4 record with a 2.76 ERA while striking out 112 batters in 114 innings. Opponents hit just .219 against him with a .612 OPS.
However, Suárez’s performance declined dramatically in the second half. After missing a month with a back injury, he went 2-4 with a 5.65 ERA and walked 15 batters in just 36â…” innings. Opponents’ batting average rose to .311 with an .861 OPS — a stark contrast to his first-half numbers.
While Painter, the Phillies’ top prospect, is expected to return from Tommy John surgery in 2025, he will face pitch count restrictions and workload monitoring.
If the Phillies trade Suárez, they’ll need to acquire two rotation pieces: a mid-rotation starter to replace him and a fifth starter they can rely on.
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