The outcome Philadelphia Phillies fans expected all winter became reality on Wednesday. Ranger Suarez, a fan favorite who has spent all eight of his big league seasons in a Phillies uniform, signed a five-year, $130 million deal with the Boston Red Sox. Sure, even without Suarez, the Phillies have one of the best starting rotations in the league and I have questions about how this contract will age, but that doesn't mean this isn't a huge blow.
Not only is Suarez consistently reliable in the regular season, but he's one of the best postseason pitchers in modern history, as his 1.48 ERA in 11 appearances would indicate. Suarez's mound presence and fun personality will be missed, in addition to his production for a Phillies team trying to win a World Series. While losing Suarez hurts, fortunately, the Phillies have several ways they can respond.
Bo Bichette should be top priority even after losing Ranger Suarez
The most obvious pivot has absolutely nothing to do with Suarez. As great as Suarez is and as big a loss as this is, the Phillies' No. 1 priority should be bolstering the lineup. Assuming Kyle Tucker is out of the realm of possibility, Bo Bichette, a player the Phillies have been linked to a ton lately, should be their top target.
Now, it's going to be costly. Not only are the Phillies going to have to pay the qualifying offer penalties, but they're also going to have to pay a good amount more than Suarez went for. We know owner John Middleton isn't shy when it comes to spending money, but Bichette is going to be the seventh player making nine figures. That's a ton.
Time after time, we've seen the Phillies come up short offensively in October. Adding Bichette, one of the best pure hitters in the game, who happened to hit what could've been a World Series-winning three-run homer in the last game we've seen him play, would really elevate this lineup and could be what puts the Phillies over the hump in October. Again, this should be, and seems to be, the No. 1 priority.
Phillies can't ignore Suarez-less rotation
As important as it is for the Phillies to prioritize their lineup, that doesn't mean the rotation should be ignored. Here's how it looks on paper without Suarez.
Phillies Rotation Order | Name |
|---|---|
1 | Cristopher Sanchez |
2 | Jesus Luzardo |
3 | Aaron Nola |
4 | Taijuan Walker |
5 | Andrew Painter |
Yes, Zack Wheeler is in town as well, but who knows when he'll be healthy after undergoing surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome or how good he'll look when he does return? This further reinforces the need for depth.
The top three of this rotation are awesome, assuming Aaron Nola bounces back, but are the Phillies really going to trust Taijuan Walker every fifth day? As exciting as top prospect Andrew Painter is, do the Phillies really want him on their Opening Day roster after an uneven 2025 in Triple-A and having not thrown a single big league pitch? The Phillies must add at least one starter, and ought to consider any of these options.
Chris Bassitt
Chris Bassitt might be the best target for them to pursue out of those perceived to be realistic. Bassitt might not be an ace, but he's a workhorse, having made at least 25 starts and thrown at least 144 innings in each of the last six seasons (excluding the shortened 2020 season) and posting a sub-4.00 ERA in all but one of those years. Bassitt had a 3.96 ERA in 32 starts and 170.1 innings of work last season and was even better in a relief role in the postseason. He'd be a great get on a one-year deal.
Zack Littell
Zack Littell is another guy who you can count on to take the ball every fifth day and keep his team in ballgames. He allowed three runs or fewer in 25 of his 32 starts last season and four runs or fewer in 28 of his 32 starts. He won't throw a no-hitter or anything, but it's hard not to like that consistency out of a back-end starter. Littell shouldn't break the bank and he might allow one too many home runs playing half the time at Citizens Bank Park, but this would be a nice fit.
Nick Martinez
What the Phillies really need is someone to add rotation depth for the beginning of the year. Chances are, this starter won't be required to make 32 starts once Wheeler is healthy and Painter is deemed ready. That fact could make Nick Martinez, a pitcher with almost as many starts (129) as relief appearances (151), a really nice fit. He has a ton of experience in both roles and has had success in both as well. He won't strike many guys out, but has outstanding command and would be an ideal swingman for the Phillies on a short-term deal.
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