Blue Jays named best suitor for another southpaw, this time a Phillies All-Star

While the focus for the Toronto Blue Jays over the next week remains on winning the 2025 World Series, the Blue Jays do have some roster decisions looming. This offseason, both Chris Bassitt and Max Scherzer will be free agents and Shane Bieber has a chance to opt out of his contract. If the Blue Jays lose one or both pitchers, the team will need to find another pitcher to put in the rotation.

Recently, the Blue Jays were named as the best suitor for Houston Astros free agent starting pitcher Framber Valdez. Now, the Blue Jays have been named by Bleacher Report as the best suitor for another lefty pitcher, and this time its a member of the NL East Division champion Philadelphia Phillies.

Blue Jays named best fit for Phillies' Suarez

Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report recently wrote an article titled "MLB Free Agents who could become superstars on new teams in 2026." In his article, Rymer named Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Ranger Suarez's best fit being the Blue Jays.

"Having Suarez as a No. 3 behind Kevin Gausman and Trey Yesavage would give the Blue Jays an embarrassment of riches on paper, and the fit would be dandy on the field, too," Rymer said about Suarez.

Because of ace Zack Wheeler, Suarez has been in the shadows of the Philadelphia pitching staff since his 2021 emergence. In his MLB career, Suarez has been exceptional, recording a 3.38 ERA in 187 games pitched with 118 of them being starts. Suarez was an All-Star in 2024 and in 2025, Suarez recorded his best season statically as a starter. He made 26 starts while recording a 12-8 record with a 3.20 ERA with 151 strikeouts in 157.1 IP.

One area that Suarez has dominated in as a Phillie is the MLB Postseason. In 11 postseason games, Suarez has recorded an impressive 1.48 ERA. Suarez is remembered in Philadelphia as being the pitcher who pitched the final out in Game 5 of the 2022 NLCS when the Phillies clinched the pennant.

The Blue Jays may need to target a lefty starter for the rotation this offseason and with how his career has gone in Philadelphia, there's reason to believe a fresh start away from the "City of Brotherly Love" pressure may be what Suarez needs to take off at 30 years old.

Based on 2025, Suarez's numbers were better than Valdez's in Houston and his signing price may be slightly higher. But it could be worth every penny for the Blue Jays to form a three-man dynamic of Suarez, Gausman and Yesavage.

"Rogers Centre is more neutral than Citizens Bank Park, and losing Bo Bichette to free agency would be addition by subtraction for Toronto's infield defense," Rymer added on the Blue Jays being Suarez's best fit.

If the Blue Jays aren't able to bring back Bichette signing players of the caliber of Suarez could somewhat ease that sting. While free agency hasn't even opened yet, expect the Blue Jays to continue to be mentioned in rumors throughout the offseason.