Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Ranger Suarez Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Phillies All-Star Believed to be Trade Candidate Ahead of 2025 Trade Deadline

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Matthew Sullivan | Last updated May 6, 2025 11:11 AM ET

The Philadelphia Phillies have one of the best starting rotations in baseball, with plenty of talent in the minor leagues waiting to be called up. With all of the talent in the organization, the Phillies could look to move one of their starters by the trade deadline.

In an article from Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report, Phillies left-handed starter and 2024 All-Star Ranger Suarez was named a surprise candidate to be traded.

Suarez is in the final year of his deal and is an unrestricted free agent after the 2025 season. He's under contract for $8.8 million in 2025 and is likely going to receive a big contract in the offseason.

With the Phillies having Aaron Nola, Zack Wheeler, and Cristopher Sanchez under contract, Suarez would be the fourth starter at best. Jesus Luzardo is off to an incredible start in 2025, which has pushed Suarez to the fifth starting spot.

He could fall even further, becoming the sixth starter or a long reliever if MLB top-ten prospect Andrew Painter is called up. Painter is close to his debut and could supplant Suarez as the Phillies' fifth starter.

With the strong rotation around him, Suarez could be moved to shore up other areas of the organization. Moving off of Suarez isn't out of the question, especially after his first start coming off the injured list.

His first inning looked strong, but he unraveled after that, allowing seven earned runs across three and two-thirds innings pitched. He struck out six batters, walked two, and gave up seven hits. His ERA after one start is at 17.18.

A team would be interested in Suarez due to the potential he showed in 2024, specifically before the All-Star break. Across his 19 appearances before the All-Star break, Suarez had a 10-4 record with an ERA of 2.76 and 112 strikeouts.

While he cooled off after the All-Star break, Suarez still showed flashes of being a solid starter. A big part of his issue has been staying healthy, and that could limit his trade value if the Phillies decide to move off him.

But, with teams around MLB dealing with injuries or bad play with their starting rotations, Suarez would likely have a lot of teams lining up for his services. The Phillies may not re-sign Suarez, so a trade could make a lot of sense for the Phillies.

If the Phillies decide to make a major move like trading Suarez, it would have to be for a strong return. But, if a team makes such an offer, the Phillies would likely consider it due to their rotation and Suarez likely leaving in free agency after 2025.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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