The Philadelphia Phillies have a bunch of their own free agents they have to worry about re-signing this offseason, which puts them in a very difficult position because they also need to make improvements elsewhere.

While Kyle Schwarber is definitely the biggest name, we can't forget about pitcher Ranger Suarez, who has been a very steady force in the Phillies' starting rotation for the last four years.

Suarez pitched to the tune of a 3.20 ERA in 2025, allowing 154 hits while registering 151 strikeouts over 157.1 innings of work. While he isn't a huge strikeout guy, his superb control (2.2 BB/9) makes him a very valuable commodity.

The problem for Suarez, however, is his checkered injury history. He has never made 30 starts in a single season, and the amount of innings he tossed this year was a career high. That makes him a rather risky addition for any club in free agency and an equally risky decision for the Phillies.

Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter has projected that Suarez will land a six-year, $160 million contract on the open market, further complicating the issue for Philadelphia.

"He is not often mentioned among the game's elite pitchers, but Ranger Suárez has been excellent for the Phillies since becoming a full-time member of their starting rotation, and his age and consistency make him the most attractive candidate for a deal longer than five years among the starting pitching class," Reuter wrote.

It's not like Suarez is exactly young, though. He is 30 years old, and signing a pitcher with a rather questionable medical record to such a lengthy contract seems like a recipe for disaster.

Reuter even has Suarez bagging more in total value than Framber Valdez, although Valdez's average annual value (five year, $135 million) was higher in Reuter's prediction.

Given how much money the Phillies will need to spend to retain Schwarber plus the amount of other moves they will need to make to bolster a roster that just can't seem to get over the hump, there seems to be a good chance that Suarez walks this winter, especially if that contract projection ends up being accurate.

And considering how much of a premium there is on left-handed pitching, it stands to reason that Reuter may be in the right ballpark.