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11 hours ago
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The Philadelphia Phillies are looking to run it back with their standing core of veteran stars again in 2025.
After winning just a single playoff game in 2024, the team had a relatively quiet offseason, opting to largely stick with Bryce Harper, Zack Wheeler, Trea Turner and company as World Series aspirations persist. But this could be the final run for a few members of the Phillies’ core, as J.T. Realmuto, Kyle Schwarber and Ranger Suárez could all become free agents after this season.
After opening the year on the injured list, Suárez is scheduled to make his season debut — which could be his final one for the Phillies — on Sunday. That has raised some questions about the team’s rotation, as it might make him the sixth member.
The Phillies could move forward with a six-man rotation, or they might opt to move someone to the bullpen. The obvious candidate for such a move would be Taijuan Walker, who struggled mightily in 2024. But, given his injuries and the Phillies’ need for some more effective arms in the relief corps, having Suarez start off as a reliever upon his return might make sense.
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In a recent interview with NBC Philadelphia’s John Clark, though, Suarez seemed to shut down the idea of a regular-season shift to reliever.
“Ranger Suarez says he wants to be in the rotation at all times and he is a starting pitcher, but he left it open, if the circumstances in the playoffs dictated he would be very valuable in the bullpen,” Clark reported.
Though he sees himself as a starter and that appears to be the plan for the regular season, Suárez did clarify that he’d be willing to pitch in a different situation if it made a meaningful difference toward a championship.
“If it is for the team’s sake, and it is to win the World Series, I am willing to do anything,” the pitcher said, per Clark.
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Peter Chawaga is a veteran journalist covering Major League Baseball for The Sporting News. His MLB reporting has included feature interviews with commissioner Rob Manfred and Hall of Fame slugger David Ortiz, salary analysis, player rankings and more. He has covered baseball for Forbes, Yardbarker, Pitcher List, Athlon and other outlets.
With over ten years of newsroom experience, he has previously covered finance, technology, arts, and culture for newspapers, magazines, and websites nationwide. He graduated from Wake Forest University with a degree in English and journalism.
English (US)