Major League Baseball free agency has nearly arrived, and the Philadelphia Phillies stand to lose perhaps more former All-Stars than any other team in the sport.
Catcher J.T. Realmuto, designated hitter Kyle Schwarber, and starting pitcher Ranger Suárez will all hit the open market in a matter of days. President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski has freely admitted that it will be hard to keep all three (via “Foul Territory”), and Schwarber feels like the safest bet to return after his 56-homer season.
If Suárez is the odd man out, it’s because he’s had a great career to this point and deserves a payday that the Phillies are unlikely to dish out. Which begs the question: Which team is the best fit for the 30-year-old Scott Boras client?
Jomboy Media analyst Jake Storiale believes he has the answer.
On Monday’s episode of the “Wake n Jake” podcast, Storiale predicted that Suárez would sign with the San Francisco Giants, who could be big spenders this winter after another frustrating failure to make the postseason.
“I think I’m gonna call my shot with Ranger. He reeks of San Francisco Giants to me,” Storiale said. “I think (president of baseball operations) Buster Posey likes a ballplayer, likes a gamer. That’s kinda what he’s shown in some of his early transactions. Big pitcher’s ballpark.
“Ranger Suárez just feels like a match to me. I don’t know what it is.”
As Storiale also pointed out later in the podcast, Suárez has had a legendary postseason career to this point, with a 1.48 ERA in 42 2/3 innings. It’s not as though he’s been bad by any means in the regular season, but someone could look to pay a premium for him with the idea of unleashing his full potential in October.
Spotrac currently projects Suárez for a six-year, $162 million contract this winter. That’s virtually the same contract Carlos Rodón got from the New York Yankees three offseasons ago, and although the two lefties have very different styles, their production prior to free agency justifies the notion of identical deals.
Suárez could be awfully effective in San Francisco with the marine layer stifling deep fly balls on chilly nights by the bay. But until he’s inked a deal elsewhere, optimistic Phillies fans can keep holding out hope that Dombrowski will try to keep the rotation intact.
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