Red Sox sign Ranger Suarez. 5 years $130 Million

[drewski6]

Jason is a good get, dont get me wrong

[Kimmi]

16 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

He's 30, so it's not all that bad.

Maybe this quiets those who say no more long deals given.

I am happy about the signing.  I like this much better than Bregman at $165M/5, even if the Bregman deal had deferrals.  I may not be so happy about it in 4 years, but today, I'm happy.  🙂

[moonslav59]

23 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Is it as big as David Price's deal that you keep harping about? 

LOL. With inflation factored in, not even half.

[Kimmi]

21 minutes ago, Old Red said:

I’m kind of shocked that they did give any FA pitcher turning 31 a 5 year contract. As you said time will tell.

 

I'm guessing it's a longer contract than Breslow would have preferred, but like I said, I think it needed to be done.  Something had to be done.  It's an overpay in years, but not in terms of AAV.  IMO, it's not a gross overpay.

[Hitch]

44 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Did NOT see this coming!

$26M x 5

No deferrals. No opt outs.

The first 5+ year deal since Yoshida in 2023.

Same. I thought we might get another pitcher, but I didn't see it being a big FA signing. 

Not a Bres usual type, either. Lots of good numbers under the hood and his Post Season numbers are insane. 

I can't help but feel a trade of Bello, Sandoval (though I don't think he has much value), or another is on the cards for infield help. I don't think Duran is going anywhere now. 

Lots of options on the table though, and our rotation is absolutely beastish with depth, too.

Thank Christ the whining about not signing a FA can stop now, too.

 

 

[moonslav59]

7 minutes ago, Kimmi said:

I am happy about the signing.  I like this much better than Bregman at $165M/5, even if the Bregman deal had deferrals.  I may not be so happy about it in 4 years, but today, I'm happy.  🙂

The money might have just about evened out with the deferrals.

I like this deal. I'd have been fine had we paid Bregman $165M/5 or even $175M/5, but I know the cost would reduce future signings- so will Ranger's.

[mvp 78]

1 minute ago, moonslav59 said:

LOL. With inflation factored in, not even half.

Then I guess the Sox haven't committed to spending! 

Time to crow some more! 

[Hitch]

Just now, Kimmi said:

I'm guessing it's a longer contract than Breslow would have preferred, but like I said, I think it needed to be done.  Something had to be done.  It's an overpay in years, but not in terms of AAV.  IMO, it's not a gross overpay.

Yeah agreed all round, Kimmi. 

Very comfortable with this contract, even if it's a year longer than I'd like. Will reset the narrative that was building around not giving Bregman the trade clause, too. Which is important. 

[Old Red]

1 minute ago, Kimmi said:

I'm guessing it's a longer contract than Breslow would have preferred, but like I said, I think it needed to be done.  Something had to be done.  It's an overpay in years, but not in terms of AAV.  IMO, it's not a gross overpay.

I’m with you on the years pretty much on all contracts.

[mvp 78]

1 minute ago, Kimmi said:

I'm guessing it's a longer contract than Breslow would have preferred, but like I said, I think it needed to be done.  Something had to be done.  It's an overpay in years, but not in terms of AAV.  IMO, it's not a gross overpay.

Seems like he's much more eager to deal and spend on pitching than position players. This kind of came out of nowhere. 

[Kimmi]

14 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Maybe they'll trade Bello? 

Unless it's for a significant upgrade in offense/defense, I hope not.  That kind of defeats the purpose of signing Suarez IMO.

[Hitch]

1 minute ago, mvp 78 said:

Seems like he's much more eager to deal and spend on pitching than position players. This kind of came out of nowhere. 

Yeah it;s felt like that from the start. You can sense he;s comfortable analysing and projecting pitching, maybe less so position players. Which makes sense.

[drewski6]

1 minute ago, mvp 78 said:

Seems like he's much more eager to deal and spend on pitching than position players. This kind of came out of nowhere. 

Likely because other teams are getting aggressive on the position players and this was a way to shop without getting into bidding wars.

[Kimmi]

3 minutes ago, Old Red said:

I’m with you on the years pretty much on all contracts.

You and I have always been on the same page in terms of years on contracts.

[drewski6]

Crochet
Tolle
Jason Lee Scott
Sonny came home

Theres not even a playoff rotation spot for Bello and/or Early

[Kimmi]

3 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Seems like he's much more eager to deal and spend on pitching than position players. This kind of came out of nowhere. 

Yeah, it did kind of come out of nowhere.  I certainly wasn't expecting it.

I guess because Breslow was a pitcher, he feels that adding pitching is more important than adding position players?  I tend to agree with that, but I also agree that we need to add an infielder.  We don't necessarily need one of the big bat type, but we need another infielder.

[moonslav59]

1 minute ago, Hitch said:

Same. I thought we might get another pitcher, but I didn't see it being a big FA signing. 

Not a Bres usual type, either. Lots of good numbers under the hood and his Post Season numbers are insane. 

I can't help but feel a trade of Bello, Sandoval (though I don't think he has much value), or another is on the cards for infield help. I don't think Duran is going anywhere now. 

Lots of options on the table though, and our rotation is absolutely beastish with depth, too.

Thank Christ the whining about not signing a FA can stop now, too.

There was talk, early on on signing a FA pitcher and trading for position players, and that looked backwards to me.

It turns out we traded for an everyday player (Contreras) and maybe we trade for a 3B/2Bman.

We traded for Gray and Oviedo and signed Ranger.

It's a pretty shocking turnover on the pitching front from just 2025, and to think Brez added a lot of "his own" pitcher additions before 2025 (and during.)

Added:

Sonny Gray & Ranger Suarez

Johan Oviedo & Jake Bennett

Ryan Watson & Isaiah Jackson

During 2025: Hicks & Harrison/ Matz,  May & Holobetz

Lost:

Gio & Buehler/ Wilson,  Matz & Wink
Fitts & Dobbins

Bernardino & Murphy

Guerrero & Hoppe  

Clarke & Perales

Fajardo & Travieso

Paez & Aita

 

[Kimmi]

4 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

Crochet
Tolle
Jason Lee Scott
Sonny came home

Theres not even a playoff rotation spot for Bello and/or Early

You have to get to the playoffs first.  It's likely that both Bello and Early, and others, will be needed in our quest to make the playoffs.

[moonslav59]

13 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Then I guess the Sox haven't committed to spending! 

Time to crow some more! 

I counted Masa & Story as "spending more."

[vegasbob]

For any talk of trading a  pitcher capable of starting, note that in 2025 the Sox had NINE (9)  pitchers who started FIVE (5) or more games, and another 4 who started 2 or more, including "openers" like Bernadino.

Plus Crawford did not start any, so you could say we have 10 potential starters before the inevitable  injuries occur, so I expect we will use all of the current mix before September 30.  Keep'em, Craig

Wouldn't object to a getting a skilled 2Bman , but  why the heck do we carry guys who can't field adequately then ?       Surely there is a player under Sox control that can field at the MLB level.  Maybe they cannot hit, looking at you David Hamilton.

[moonslav59]

1 minute ago, vegasbob said:

For any talk of trading a  pitcher capable of starting, note that in 2025 the Sox had NINE (9)  pitchers who started FIVE (5) or more games, and another 4 who started 2 or more, including "openers" like Bernadino.

Plus Crawford did not start any, so you could say we have 10 potential starters before the inevitable  injuries occur, so I expect we will use all of the current mix before September 30.  Keep'em, Craig

Wouldn't object to a getting a skilled 2Bman , but  why the heck do we carry guys who can't field adequately then ?       Surely there is a player under Sox control that can field at the MLB level.  Maybe they cannot hit, looking at you David Hamilton.

We also had Sandoval start no games and traded away Priester and Newcomb mid season.

[vegasbob]

To the extent that Masataka Yoshida is a one dimensional player  , with no speed on the bases, isn't it close to time to just eat whatever is necessary of his $18MM and move on, opening up the OF and DH position for the guys already on roster.  

I doubt that will happen before the trade deadline , but surely by that date Masa will be moved, including DFA if he can't hit well enough to make himself attractive to a contending team.

He's short and slow, can we try him at 2B, LOL

[Bellhorn04]

33 minutes ago, Kimmi said:

You and I have always been on the same page in terms of years on contracts.

I would guess the average free agent contract is 1 year longer than the teams would prefer. 

[Kimmi]

4 minutes ago, Bellhorn04 said:

I would guess the average free agent contract is 1 year longer than the teams would prefer. 

No doubt.  I can live with a contract like this.

The 10-year contracts are a whole other story.

[Bellhorn04]

So are we officially big spenders again?  

[Bellhorn04]

1 minute ago, Kimmi said:

No doubt.  I can live with a contract like this.

The 10-year contracts are a whole other story.

Some of these contracts make me shudder too. 😉

[moonslav59]

9 minutes ago, Bellhorn04 said:

I would guess the average free agent contract is 1 year longer than the teams would prefer. 

That seems about right. With some, it's more like 2 years too long.

That's what gets me when people say, but just pay the guy $2-3M more. It's $2-3M more x 5, 6 or 7, and the starting point was an overpay to begin with!

[moonslav59]

3 minutes ago, Bellhorn04 said:

So are we officially big spenders again?  

We passed last year's budget and AAV.

Spotrac moved us up to 6th, but we are still $16M from NYY, who might add $30M for bellinger.

Tax Payroll:

$276M 2026 (6th)

$249M 2025 (7th)

$226M 2024 (12th)

$226M 2023 (12th)

$236M 2022 (5th)

$208M 2021 (6th)

We are $50M over 2024.

[notin]

55 minutes ago, Kimmi said:

Unless it's for a significant upgrade in offense/defense, I hope not.  That kind of defeats the purpose of signing Suarez IMO.

Not really.

In fact, with Crochet, Suarez, Bello, Sandoval, Crawford, Gray and Oviedo, I’m not sure how many of these starting pitchers have options left.

I think Oviedo does..

[notin]

6 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

We passed last year's budget and AAV.

Spotrac moved us up to 6th, but we are still $16M from NYY, who might add $30M for bellinger.

Tax Payroll:

$276M 2026 (6th)

$249M 2025 (7th)

$226M 2024 (12th)

$226M 2023 (12th)

$236M 2022 (5th)

$208M 2021 (6th)

We are $50M over 2024.

With Bellinger, Bichette, Valdez and Tucker still unsigned, rankings will change…