The Philadelphia Phillies are trying to lock down as much of their emerging talent as possible, and they may have another player lined up as their next target.
After the Phillies signed starter Cristopher Sanchez to an extension on Friday, team president Dave Dombrowski admitted that emerging star Ranger Suarez is also on the team’s list of contracts to get done. A source additionally told Matt Gelb of The Athletic that the Phillies are interested in working out a deal with Suarez, though talks have yet to progress.
“We love Ranger, of course,” Dombrowski told reporters. “Why wouldn’t you? We hope that he’s part of the organization for a long time.”
Suarez has progressed from solid lefty reliever to decent starter to ace in a span of about four years. His 1.75 ERA this season leads the league and he looks to be on his way to an All-Star nod. The numbers do not appear to be a fluke, either, as he is striking out a batter an inning while cutting his walk rate below two batters per nine innings.
Suarez will be eligible to become a free agent after the 2025 season. He would be expensive to keep given how well he is performing right now, but the Phillies have not shied away from handing out big contracts to the players they value.
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