After missing out on Bregman, the Red Sox quickly shifted gears to sign left-handed ace Suárez to a five-year, $130 million deal.

After losing out on Alex Bregman—who rejected the Red Sox’s offer to sign with the Chicago Cubs—Boston’s Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow promptly revised the team’s strategy today, redirecting the bulk of the funds planned for the All-Star third baseman to a five-year, $130 million contract with premier free agent left-handed starter Ranger Suárez. MLB.com reporter Mark Feinsand confirmed the signing through sources, although the team has yet to make an official announcement.

Although Breslow has already executed multiple trades this winter, Suárez stands as the Red Sox’s first free-agent signing this offseason. With only Bo Bichette remaining as a top-tier infielder on the market amid fierce competition, Breslow chose to respond to Bregman’s departure by fully advancing a rotation upgrade plan that has been in the works for weeks.

Just before Thanksgiving, Breslow acquired veteran right-hander Sonny Gray from the Cardinals via trade; on December 4, the Red Sox added righty Johan Oviedo from the Pirates, a pitcher the team values for his stamina and growth potential. The current projected rotation includes Garrett Crochet, Suárez, Gray, Brayan Bello, and Oviedo.

Additionally, the team boasts rotation depth that many clubs envy: Kutter Crawford, Patrick Sandoval, and Kyle Harrison are all available as alternatives, alongside top rookies Connelly Early and Payton Tolle, who impressed with their debuts last September. It is expected that Breslow may leverage some of this starting pitching depth to continue acquiring infielders the team still seeks.

With Bregman’s exit, Marcelo Mayer is currently the frontrunner for the third base position. However, if the Red Sox acquire Eugenio Suárez via trade or free agency to fill third base, Mayer would shift to second base. In the outfield, Roman Anthony, Jarren Duran, Ceddanne Rafaela, and Wilyer Abreu are competing for three spots, with only Anthony considered untouchable.

As spring training approaches, “reducing runs allowed” is expected to become a key focus for the Red Sox. Since transitioning to a full-time starter in 2022 and helping the Phillies reach the World Series, Suárez has been one of the league’s elite left-handers. Over 104 starts, he posted a 3.59 ERA, with especially strong postseason performances—his career playoff ERA stands at just 1.48 across 11 games (8 starts), including a 5-inning, 1-run outing in the 2025 NL Division Series against the Dodgers.

After the season, the Phillies extended a $22.025 million qualifying offer to Suárez for 2026, which he declined. With his signing by the Red Sox, Philadelphia will receive a draft pick after the fourth round in 2026 as compensation.

In this era focused on velocity, Suárez (who averaged a 91.3 mph fastball last season) relies more on command and a mix of off-speed pitches. Turning 30 in 2026, his arsenal includes six pitch types: sinker, changeup, cutter, curveball, four-seam fastball, and slider. His changeup and curveball are particularly effective, holding opponents to batting averages of .192 and .203 respectively—aligning well with Red Sox pitching coach Andrew Bailey’s philosophy that hitters generally perform best against fastballs.

Suárez also possesses a highly valued trait in today’s league: the ability to pitch deep into games. In 2025, he started 26 games, pitching 157.1 innings with an average of 6 innings per start, and maintains a high ground-ball rate (53.2% in his 2024 All-Star season, slightly down to 48% in 2025). His skill in inducing weak contact ranks among the best in MLB; in 2025, he had the lowest hard-hit rate (31.1%) among starters, ranked in the 89th percentile for low sweet spot contact (5.5%), and excelled in metrics such as average exit velocity (86.5 mph, 95th percentile), walk rate (5.8%, 86th percentile), expected ERA (3.16, 84th percentile), and chase rate (30.5%, 78th percentile).

Moreover, Suárez is well-liked by teammates for his cheerful personality and is recognized as a clubhouse leader. His experience competing under high-pressure conditions in Philadelphia equips him to handle Boston’s upcoming challenges with composure.