MLB Rumors: The Boston Red Sox and Ranger Suarez have agreed to terms on a five year, $130 million deal, per reports.
Suarez, a 30 year old lefthanded starter, has spent his entire career up to this point with the Philadelphia Phillies, who signed him as an international free agent in 2012. After getting a cup of coffee in 2018, he worked priamrily as a reliever in 2019 and 2020, then split his time between the pen and the rotation in 2021 before moving full time to the rotation in 2022.
In those four
seasons, Suarez hasn’t exactly been a workhorse — he’s not reached 160 innings in any of those four seasons, and has averaged 26 starts per year in that stretch, . Suarez does have a 3.59 ERA in that period, good for a 117 ERA+, as well as a 3.57 FIP. He is coming off his best season as a full time starter, however, with a 3.20 ERA and 3.21 FIP in a career-high 157.1 IP, good for a 4.7 bWAR. Suarez doesn’t strike out a ton of batters, but he avoids walks and gets ground balls, utilizing a six pitch mix.
Ben Clemens of Fangraphs ended up nailing his prediction for Suarez, at 5 years, $130 million. I have not seen any indication yet as to whether there is any deferred money or any opt outs.
Boston had been trying to bring back Alex Bregman, who opted to go to the Chicago Cubs instead earlier this week. With money to spend, they have now pivoted to a guy who helps shore up their rotation and has a strong playoff track record, with a career playoff ERA of 1.48 in 8 starts and three relief appearances.
