Just days after missing out on a reunion with the very coveted Alex Bregman, the Red Sox have finally spent some money in free agency. According to MLB Network’s Jon Heyman, Boston has agreed to a five-year, $130 million deal with Ranger Suarez.
Needless to say, this is a move that Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow needed badly — if for no other reason than to alter his perception among a rabid Red Sox fanbase. Howeer, there was an obvious on-field need that was filled by this signing. Garrett Crochet was a revelation in his first campaign in Boston, yet it was painfully clear in the Red Sox’s Wild Card series against the Yankees that this roster was lacking top-end rotation talent beyond the left-handed ace.
That’s where Suarez enters the picture. Boston also traded for Sonny Gray earlier in the offseason, but the 36-year-old is on the heels of posting a 4.28 ERA with heavily diminished fastball velocity. On the other end of the spectrum, Suarez won’t turn 31 until late August. He’s still in the prime of his playing days and he’s arguably coming off the best season of his career in 2025. Across 157.1 innings of work in Philadelphia, Suarez maintained a 3.20 ERA with a 3.15 xERA. Dating back to 2021, Suarez owns a 3.39 ERA and his 14.5 fWAR ranks just behind Blake Snell, Logan Gilbert and Zac Gallen. The left-hander is simply better than you think he is.
Suarez’s presence also gives the Red Sox some flexibility when it comes young, promising arms like Payton Tolle and Connelly Early, who may now be available in trade for the right price. With the loss of the aforementioned Bregman, Boston could really use an infielder to round out its lineup.
Following the addition of Suarez, the Red Sox’s World Series odds have moved down to +1600 on the DraftKings Sportsbook, tied with the Mets for the seventh-shortest in MLB. Unfortunately, two of the six teams with shorter odds are in the AL East: The Yankees (+750) and the reigning American League Champion Blue Jays (+1500). The Orioles (+2500) have also spent a lot of money this winter, looking for a bounce-back season with their still young core.
