BALTIMORE — The Phillies needed Ranger Suárez to be a stopper. He delivered.
The lefty struck out six over 6 2/3 innings, limiting the dangerous Orioles lineup to just one run on Friday. After some bullpen heroics, a rare extra innings rain delay and big hits from Kyle Schwarber and Alec Bohm, the Phillies escaped Camden Yards with a 5-3 victory in 11 innings.
It was the most thrilling win of the season for the Phillies, who are 47-22 and keep trudging along without three of their best position players in Trea Turner, J.T. Realmuto and Brandon Marsh.
We probably don’t get to enjoy an instant classic without Suárez’s performance. He’s only the second starting pitcher this season and first since Alec Marsh on April 2 to limit Baltimore to just one earned run over at least 6 2/3 innings pitched. He is first in the majors in wins with 10 and second in ERA at 1.77. A large contingent of Phillies fans in Baltimore gave Suárez a standing ovation as he left the mound in the seventh.
His brand of pitching is endearing. He broke out in 2021, dominating in every role a pitcher could occupy, captured the hearts of the city during the 2022 postseason and is now a top starter in the sport in 2024. His playful demeanor and calm presence on the mound makes him a fan favorite.
In the age of spin rates, max effort and innings limits, he is a throwback. He relies on getting ahead of hitters, hitting corners and inducing soft ground ball outs. He can also get some nasty swing-and-misses on his breaking pitches.
The great outings are piling up. In business terms, he’s getting more expensive.
2025 is Suárez’s last season of arbitration eligibility. Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola and Cristopher Sánchez are all under team control through 2027. Taijuan Walker’s contract runs through 2026 and the Phillies are hoping Andrew Painter, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery, can contribute to the big league rotation in 2025.
Even with Wheeler, Nola and Walker signed to big contracts, the Phillies would still like to make room for Suárez. Dave Dombrowski was recently asked about the club’s interest in a possible Suárez extension. He reiterated the team’s policy to not discuss the details of contract negotiations publicly, but did have this to say.
“Of course you would love to have a Ranger Suarez in your organization for years to come,” Dombrowski told Phillies Nation prior to Friday’s game against the Orioles. “We usually do not discuss contract extensions during the season because you don’t want it to be a distraction. The one thing out of it is that we would definitely like to have Ranger with us for a long time.”
It will be a huge storyline to follow over the next year-and-a-half. Wheeler’s annual salary goes up from $23.6 million in 2024 to $42 million from 2025 to 2027. Nola is under contract for just under $25 million through 2031 and Walker is signed for $18 million per season through 2026. Kyle Schwarber and Realmuto are also free agents after the 2025 season.
There is a ton of money invested all around the roster and it’s fair to wonder how the Phillies will handle these decisions in the future. If Suárez stays healthy and continues to pitch like a No. 1 through the end of next season, he will at the very least be a $100 million pitcher.
The Phillies, however, have shown over the years that they are willing to pay to retain players that they like and fit into their plans no matter what the price is, with recent deals for Wheeler, Nola and Matt Strahm being good examples.
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