Red Sox’s Main Competition For Ranger Suarez Came From AL East Rival

The Boston Red Sox surprised many people and made their fan base happy by agreeing to terms with left-hander Ranger Suárez on January 21.

The Red Sox weren’t the only American League East team trying to sign Suárez, however.

New intel from The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier reveals that the Baltimore Orioles were the most aggressive team in the bidding for Suárez before the Red Sox jumped in.

The Orioles were the most aggressive team in the bidding for Ranger Suarez before the Red Sox jumped in, per @alexspeier.

Speier noted there was a realistic path to a deal for Suarez and Baltimore last week. Boras mentioned the Sox had to play some catch-up in negotiations too. pic.twitter.com/hZgKlkADvo

— Tyler Milliken (@tylermilliken_) January 22, 2026

Suárez delivered a strong 2025 campaign for the Phillies, posting a 12-8 record with a 3.20 ERA across 26 starts and 157 1/3 innings pitched. He struck out 151 batters while issuing just 38 walks, marking career highs in innings and fWAR at 4.0.

Despite starting the year on the injured list with back issues and ending it sidelined by a comebacker, Suárez excelled in the postseason, allowing one run over five innings against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS. His performance solidified his value as a reliable starter.

Over his eight-year MLB tenure, all with the Phillies until now, Suarez has compiled a 53-37 record and 3.38 ERA with 705 strikeouts. Signed as a teenager from Venezuela in 2012, he debuted in 2018 and emerged as a key rotation piece, earning All-Star honors in 2024 after a dominant first half.

He contributed to Philadelphia’s 2022 World Series run and showed resilience in 2025 despite injury setbacks.