The Philadelphia Phillies made a weird decision when they moved on from Ranger Suarez, but it doesn’t seem to be the worst idea just yet. Allowing Suarez to walk made Andrew Painter a valuable part of this rotation.
While the Phillies could’ve had Suarez and Painter in the rotation together, it would’ve added another expensive contract. With Painter looking like a legit arm in this league, the idea doesn’t seem to be going poorly.
However, Stephen Parello pointed out that even with a rough start for the Boston Red Sox, Suarez still brings something the Phillies will end up missing.
“Ranger Suárez's Red Sox debut left fans with mixed feelings. He underwhelmed overall in his first appearance of 2026, but it doesn't change the fact that the crafty southpaw is a quality hurler. He has his warts, durability being chief among them, but he's proven to be a solid No. 2.
“His departure gives Andrew Painter an opportunity, which could be a net positive overall. Still, wouldn't it be nice to still have Suárez to push Taijuan Walker from the rotation? Rob Thomson might think Walker's stuff looked good as he got smacked around by the lowly Nationals, but we know better,” he wrote.
While the Painter part is as important as anything, the other side of it is having someone eat innings. Suarez wasn’t an ace, but when he’s healthy, he’s the type of pitcher teams like the Phillies rely on in the middle of a rotation. He eats innings, doesn’t give up a ton of runs, and ultimately gives teams a chance to win more often than not.
Meanwhile, Taijuan Walker remains the tough side of this. There have been no flashes when he looks good, and as a result, the Phillies struggle often when he’s on the mound.
Ultimately, if Painter develops quickly, the Phillies might not feel this loss much at all. However, if there are growing pains, or if Walker continues to struggle, the absence of a steady arm like Suarez is going to be bigger than what it seems like now.