Welcome to the 2025-26 edition of Smash or Pass, in which we examine potential free agent and trade targets to determine whether the Red Sox should pursue them and what it would take to land them. Today
we look at a rotation-lengthening option out of Philadelphia.
The Red Sox need starting pitching. You can never have enough pitching is a saying for a reason. It made Craig Breslew’s decisions to shoot for the moon on Joe Ryan and then acquire Dustin May reasonable because no matter how well things were going or how close, say, Payton Tolle and Connelly Early were, adding more depth was a good idea. Obviously we can debate the particulars — everyone saw the Dustin May story ending poorly — but he did give them a few good innings and ate a few more. It’s still possible that if not May then a worse pitcher would have been in those games. While he’s not the number two everyone wants behind Garrett Crochet, one name being considered in Ranger Suárez. This doesn’t fit anywhere else but Remy would have made a meal out of this name.
Who is he and where does he come from?
Ranger Suárez is a 30-year-old left-handed pitcher who was an international signing out of Venezuela by the Philadelphia Phillies in 2012 and has spent his entire career in that organization. He made his major league debut in July 2018 and spent time in the rotation and bullpen through the 2021 season. From 2022-2025 he pitched entirely in the rotation as a starter and the Phillies were better for it. His nickname is Mr. Rager, per Baseball-Reference, note the lack of an ‘n’ there. He’s here for the rage, not the range.
Is he any good?
Over the last four seasons he’s made 104 starts to a 3.59/3.57 ERA/FIP. That’s an average of about 4 WAR per season. His innings have been consistent: 150, 125, 155, 157. His metrics have stayed about the same for strikeouts, walks, hits, and homers. His top comparison by similarity score on Baseball Reference? Tarik Skubal. Then Mark Prior. Look, don’t put too much stock in this but it’s notable. He’s good not great and about as available as a lot of pitchers are these days: under 200 innings.
TL;DR: just give me his 2025 stats
ERA: 3.20
FIP: 3.21
Ks: 151
BBs: 38
26 starts.
157.1 innings
Why would he be a good fit on the Red Sox?
As mentioned earlier, the Red Sox need starting pitching. Walker Buehler, Lucas Giolito, and Dustin May are gone. Two of those guys more or less shared a rotation spot, but there are innings to fill. Are Tolle and Early ready for that job? Probably not. Kyle Harrison? Maybe? But he’s only one player and is still a work in progress. For the Red Sox to fill out an Opening Day rotation there are going to be additions from outside the organization, either via trades or signings. If we take Craig Breslow at his word (just work with me here) a number two will be acquired. If that’s Suárez, then hopefully the other MLB caliber pitcher is also pretty good to make 2-5 really solid.
Why wouldn’t he be a good fit on the Red Sox?
We’re back to looking at an over-30 pitcher. Granted Suárez is basically right on the line, which makes him a better fit than Chris Bassit or Merrill Kelly, but the Sox philosophy is what it is. And that is going to mean no long term contracts for pitchers over 30. He might not fit the definition of a guy to pair with Crochet but he sure does fit their definition of a pitcher past the age threshold they want to sign.
What would it take to get him?
The general consensus is somewhere near five years, $130 million.
Show me a cool highlight
How about striking out the MVP?
Smash or pass?
Sigh. I guess this is a pass. A long-term contract and draft pick for an over 30 left-handed pitcher probably on the downside of his career? He shaves off some risk with the somewhat reduced workload during his swingman days but is that enough? Can he be a number two, or is he a three pushing Bello to four (which would be a deep rotation!)?
