Top Landing Spots for Free Agent Robert Suarez

San Diego Padres closer Robert Suarez recently exercised his player opt-out for the final two years of his contract and will look to cash in on a big payday.

Suarez has been among the top relievers in baseball since breaking out in 2022 and has been named an All-Star in back-to-back seasons.

Suarez’s main objective is to bully hitters with his two fastballs. Of the two, the four-seam is the superior pitch. Thrown 60.4% of the time, it averages 98.6 mph, generates a 24% whiff rate, and has a .169 opponent batting average.

As for the sinker, it doesn’t generate nearly as much whiff, but it compensates with a 46.2% groundball rate.

These two pitches have allowed Suarez to either get the big strikeout or a much-needed groundball in high-leverage innings. After finishing as one of the top relievers in Major League Baseball in 2025, Suarez will be one of the more sought-after arms in free agency this winter.

Free Agent Profile: Robert Suarez

• Age in 2026: 35
• 2025 Stats: 70 G, 69.2 IP, 2.97 ERA, 2.88 FIP, 75 K, 16 BB, 0.90 WHIP
• 2025 Salary: $13 million, player opt-out in 2026 (two years, $16 million remaining)
• Qualifying Offer Eligibility: None

Contract Projection

• Contract Length Expectation: 2-4 years
• Expected AAV: $13-18 million

What makes Suarez such an interesting player is his unusual career arc. His first season didn’t come until age 31, and he didn’t garner a heavy workload until last season. It’s an odd predicament to value a pitcher who doesn’t have much tread on their tires but is on the older side.

That being said, Suarez’s age and role may limit the length of his next contract, but his performance should keep his market strong. Since taking over the closer role in 2024, he ranks first in saves (76) and owns a 2.87 ERA.

Another factor that bodes well for Suarez is his durability. Over the past two seasons, he has logged 134.2 innings across 135 appearances while maintaining strong results. What should encourage potential suitors most is his consistency. He has shown no decline in velocity or stuff, and his underlying metrics have remained steady throughout his career.

That level of reliability suggests this workload shouldn’t deter teams from pursuing him.

Free Agent Landing Spots for Robert Suarez

The Athletics

The A’s had arguably the best closer in all of baseball, as we all know, before moving Mason Miller at the deadline. After his departure, seven different players recorded at least one save.

The team has exciting, young pieces in their lineup, namely Nick Kurtz, Lawrence Butler, Jacob Wilson, and Shea Langeliers. On the pitching side, Luis Morales is showing tons of promise, and Jacob Lopez showed flashes of being an above-average starter this season.

According to MLB Trade Rumors, the A’s are potentially pursuing relievers with closing experience. With the team trending in the right direction, and Suarez fits the bill, it would make a ton of sense for them to add someone who is on the less expensive side of relievers. 

Texas Rangers

Similar to the A’s, the Rangers had a closer carousel for the season with eight different players recording a save.

Chris Martin, Shawn Armstrong, Phil Maton, and Hoby Milner all appeared in save opportunities for the team, and now they are all pending free agents. The ‘pen as a whole blew 28 saves, tied for the third most in MLB with the New York Mets and the Boston Red Sox.

With so much turnover, the Rangers are almost certain to look for stability late in games. Suarez would give them a veteran presence with playoff experience and enough stuff to handle high-leverage situations.

For a club trying to bounce back into contention, he could be the steady hand they’ve been missing.

San Francisco Giants

At the beginning of this season, the expectation would have been that Camilo Doval would be the Giants’ closer; however, Doval was dealt to the New York Yankees at the deadline. The hope was that breakout reliever Randy Rodríguez would assume the closer role, but he will miss all of next season recovering from Tommy John surgery.

To add to the snowball effect, Ryan Walker was among the best relievers in 2024, but he took a step back in 2025. In 68 appearances, Walker pitched to a 4.11 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, with 60 strikeouts across 61.1 innings. 

With Tyler Rogers being dealt at the deadline, there are few high-leverage options in San Francisco. There is a good reason to believe that Walker can bounce back, but why not add someone of Suarez’s caliber?

This way, Walker can slide back into his fireman role where he excelled, and Suarez can nail down the ninth. The Giants are close to competing, and this feels like the kind of move Buster Posey would make, given his brief track record as general manager.

Arizona Diamondbacks

The Diamondbacks, despite being tied second in blown leads (45) and first in blown leads in the ninth (8), missed the playoffs by two games. Cut even half of those ninth-inning blown leads, and they very well are playing baseball in October. 

Outside of Justin Martinez, there isn’t much firepower in the bullpen. A.J. Puk missed significant time, Jalen Beeks was fine, and Kevin Ginkel’s season ended early with a shoulder injury. 

Suarez would be a step in the right direction for the team returning to the World Series, a place they were at just two years ago. Even if the team elects to keep Martinez in the closer role, Suarez would dramatically improve the Diamondbacks’ chances of winning.

Cincinnati Reds

Emilio Pagan led the team in saves with 32, and it is unclear if he will return next season. 

Adding Suarez would give the Reds a proven late-inning option, someone who’s shown he can handle high-leverage movements. Compared to Pagan, Suarez raises the team’s ceiling and has a better track record. 

He’d be a more reliable ninth-inning option as the team looks to take the next step toward contention. This would make sense. The price tag wouldn’t be overwhelming, and Suarez could propel Cincinnati to the top of a competitive NL Central.