NL East southpaw named as potential fit for Padres rotation

On Monday, Jim Bowden of The Athletic released his annual free-agent rankings, where he posted a list of the top 50 on the open market, predicting contract details, as well as potential landing spots.

In a class headlined by Kyle Tucker, Kyle Schwarber, and Pete Alonso, Bowden linked many starting pitchers on the market to the Padres, but Ranger Suárez stood out as one of the most feasible options to fill the team’s void; the southpaw is projected to earn nearly $27 million annually.

It is no surprise that the Padres were a suitor for Suárez, as A.J. Preller will be attacking starting pitching this offseason, looking to fill “soon-to-be” holes when Dylan Cease and Michael King depart in free agency.

Suárez started 2025 on the injured list with a back injury, making his season debut for the Phillies in May. He finished the season with a 3.20 ERA over 157.1 innings, while also posting a 4.7 WAR. Not to mention that 17 of his 26 starts were considered quality starts, as he was able to make it through six innings while allowing three earned runs or fewer. He was one of manager Rob Thomson’s most reliable starting pitchers.

Suárez would complement Nick Pivetta at the top of the rotation, who turned out to be one of the league’s best value signings in 2025, as he posted a 2.87 ERA over 181.1 innings. Having this as a one-two punch is what any manager dreams of having, and whoever fills the opening in San Diego has the potential to inherit it.

Free agency officially opens five days after the conclusion of the World Series, and it is an understatement to say that the Padres will indeed be aggressive. The starting pitcher market is as deep as it's ever been, and we should expect A.J. Preller to hone in on a guy he likes.