Will the Philadelphia Phillies trade the All-Star pitcher?

The Philadelphia Phillies boasted one of the best rotations in baseball in 2024. Now they have to make important decisions regarding their future.

Zack Wheeler had another Cy Young-caliber season while Aaron Nola maintained his consistency. Christopher Sanchez became an All-Star and Ranger Suarez, also a first-time All-Star, dominated the first half before a back injury hampered his play in the second half.

Despite changing the No. 5 starting numbers due to Taijuan Walker’s struggles, the rotation remained largely dominant throughout the regular season.

Wheeler, Nola and Sanchez are all signed long-term. However, Suarez is eligible for arbitration and will become a free agent after 2025.

Could the Phillies consider trading Suarez? This opportunity is not as far away as it might seem.

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Philadelphia Phillies starter Ranger Suarez could be traded

The Athletic’s Matt Gelb reports. that Suarez could be a trade target for other teams as Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski approaches the offseason from an “open-minded” standpoint. Dombrowski has already stated that acquiring good players requires trading good players.

“The calculation for 2025 must include 2026 and subsequent years. Suarez, who will be a free agent after the 2025 season, won’t necessarily figure into the long-term plan. Andrew Painter should join the rotation sometime in 2025 and then step into a larger role in 2026,” Gelb wrote.

In the first half of 2024, Suarez became the Cy Young favorite. He posted a 10-4 record with a 2.76 ERA, striking out 112 batters in 114 innings. Opponents hit him just .219 with a .612 OPS.

However, Suarez’s performance deteriorated sharply 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 36⅔ innings. Opponents’ batting average rose to .311 with an OPS of .861—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 limitations on pitching and workload monitoring.

If the Phillies trade Suarez, they would need to acquire two rotation players: a middle rotation starter to replace him and a fifth starter they can rely on.

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