Spurned by Alex Bregman, the Boston Red Sox pivoted to a different offseason plan, agreeing to terms with left-hander Ranger Suárez on a five-year, $130 million contract on Jan. 14.
A baseball official with direct knowledge of the deal confirmed to USA TODAY Sports that Suárez and the Red Sox are in agreement. They spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal has not yet been finalized.
Suárez, 30, was a clutch regular season and playoff performer for the Philadelphia Phillies, earning an All-Star nod in 2024 and posting a 3.38 career ERA while starting 119 career games.
Suárez played key roles in helping the wild card Phillies eliminate the division champion Atlanta Braves in both 2022 and 2023, and along with Framber Valdez was the most desirable left-handed starter on the market.
In Boston, he provides the No. 2 starter the club professed to desire since the start of winter, aligning behind fellow lefty and Cy Young Award runner-up Garrett Crochet and alongside trade acquisition Sonny Gray.
His signing pushes talented right-hander Brayan Bello to the No. 4 slot, though Gray’s pending free agency after this season ensures the Red Sox have strong pitching depth in coming years. The Red Sox also acquired right-hander Johan Oviedo from Pittsburgh last month, and he figures to get the first crack at the No. 5 starter job; additionally, the club saw encouraging signs from rookies Payton Tolle and Connelly Early after their debuts late last season.
They may need to be a pitching-centric squad in 2026; Bregman’s defection to the Chicago Cubs leaves the lineup, for now, minus a massive bat. The club is expected to continue pursuing help at both second and third base.