Phillies Star Predicted to Walk in Favor of $104M Deal with Orioles

The Philadelphia Phillies can’t worry too much about free agency yet, but it’s an interesting topic to tackle for the rest of us now that the trade deadline has passed.

Philadelphia has one of the best starting rotations in Major League Baseball, and it expects to add one of the premier prospects in the game to that group next season in right-hander Andrew Painter.

Painter is going to need a spot, though, and there isn’t an obvious one available unless the Phillies decide to let their lone free agent from the rotation walk.

So is Ranger Suárez, who is having his best year as a full-time starter, destined to leave this winter? The dye may not be cast yet, but one writer thinks it’s close to a lock.

On Monday, Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller predicted that Suárez would leave Philadelphia to sign with the Baltimore Orioles, who do not have one starting pitcher as reliable as the Phillies’ top four right now.

“We shall see whether he’ll be treated in free agency as a premium starter, but Suárez has been productive enough (when healthy) to merit consideration for the gig of 2026 Opening Day starter for quite a few franchises,” wrote Miller.

“One of those teams is the Baltimore Orioles, who should have both a preposterous amount of room in the budget to make a Suárez-sized splash and a lot of regret about not doing more to address the starting rotation this past offseason… Suárez could be their ace moving forward.”

Miller also projected Suárez’s contract with the Orioles at four years and $104 million. It’s not the typical ace-level contract, but it could be a reasonable expectation for a soft-tossing pitcher entering his age-30 season.

With a 2.68 ERA in 16 starts, Suárez has racked up 3.6 bWAR quickly this year. He’s in line for a nice payday, but even if the Phillies aren’t going to give it to him, they hope it comes after a long-awaited championship this October.

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