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Jul 25, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; A detailed view of a Hall of Fame patch on a Philadelphia Phillies hat resting in the dugout during the second inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

A's 'Perfect Transaction': How Likely is Signing Phillies' Ace?

Originally posted on Oakland Athletics on SI
By Jason Burke | Last updated Nov 11, 2025 8:31 PM ET

The Athletics have a chance to take a huge step forward in 2026. After finishing with a 76-86 record in 2025, their young core has been nominated for Silver Sluggers (Nick Kurtz won), Gold Gloves (Tyler Soderstrom runner-up) and Rookies of the Year (Kurtz and Wilson finished first and second). They have a collection of bats that was already a top-10 group despite a distinct lack of experience in the league.

The issue they need to address in a broad sense is just adding a bit more pitching high-end. As a team on the season they ranked 27th in ERA with a 4.71. At the same time, over the final two months of the year they ranked 13th with a 4.00 ERA while relying on a number of their younger arms, so they have some potential on-hand already.

Over at ESPN, Jeff Passan put together his list of 'perfect transactions' for 21 clubs. For the A's, he had the club going out and signing former Philadelphia Phillies ace Ranger Suarez.

From Passan: "Nobody can question the A's lineup. Anchored by star-in-the-making Nick Kurtz, featuring Brent Rooker, Jacob Wilson, Shea Langeliers, Lawrence Butler, Tyler Soderstrom and others, the A's are really going to hit next year.

"Now they need pitching. Badly. Starters, relievers -- whatever. While it's not in owner John Fisher's nature to spend on players, bringing in a high-groundball, low-homer southpaw whose stuff would play even in the nightmare pitchers' environment in Sacramento would be the sort of move that could push the A's that much closer to their first playoff spot since 2020. Sign free agent left-hander Ranger Suarez."

While signing Suarez is certainly a splashy move and the one that a normal team would make in the A's situation, the big concern here is the money. ESPN projected Suarez for four years, $92 million, which is roughly in line with the deal they handed Luis Severino last offseason, with an added year tacked on.

Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

MLB Trade Rumors has him projected for five years and $115 million, which is the same exact average annual value that ESPN gave, but with a fifth year added on.

Tim Britton of The Athletic is the high person on the projections, having Suarez at six years and $153 million. That's a slight bump on the AAV, up to $25.5 million, plus adds a sixth year.

Honestly, if the market for Suarez ends up being close to the one that ESPN projects (4/92), that could be a market that the A's end up dabbling in. They don't necessarily need to make a ton of moves this winter in order to be competitive next year, but adding a pitcher of his quality would be at the top of that wish list.

Since 2021, Suarez has combined for 17.7 bWAR, racking up an average of 139 innings with a 3.25 ERA (3.44 FIP), he commands the ball well, and he is a veteran that has been nails in the postseason. In the seven October series he's pitched in the past four years, he's 4-1 with a 1.48 ERA across 42 2/3 innings of work.

This could also be a way for the A's to exercise some of their own demons. Back in 2014 they traded away their biggest bat in Yoenis Céspedes for a postseason ace in Jon Lester. It didn't work out once Lester reached the postseason since Lester couldn't throw to first base against a speedy Royals club. Perhaps having Suraez would be a way for the franchise to exorcise some of those demons.

Mady Mertens-Imagn Images

While he doesn't throw hard, he limits hard contact, doesn't walk batters, keeps the ball on the ground, gets batters to chase, and has some of the most devastating pitches in the game. Locking him up for three or four seasons—even post age-30 seasons—seems like something the A's should seriously consider this offseason.

Will it happen? That depends on how aggressive other teams hoping to make a splash are. A team like the Baltimore Orioles seems like a team that could try to do a course-correction of their own and actually spend on some pitching while they still have a young group of hitters.

While we're not expecting Suarez to land in West Sacramento, this would be a franchise-altering addition for the club, and it's one that's at least feasible financially.

This article first appeared on Oakland Athletics on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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