Oh I agree it's not our money but the team does seem to have a limit, and even if they didn't, bullpen (especially if they can't count on or don't pick up the option on Alvarardo) and hitters are greater needs. Yes, every team needs more than five starting pitchers but not every team needs five starting pitchers who are all #2-3-caliber. The '22, '23 and '24 Phillies didn't.
I just think they wrote off Ranger, whether because he was going to deserve too much money or because he isn't durable enough, when they got Luzardo. They will be in a better position to either re-sign Luzardo or go to the open market in '27, when Walker (and Castellanos) come off the books.
I'm just assuming they can't or won't re-sign Schwarber, JT, Suarez and $15-20 million worth of relievers. Schwarber is a must IMO (and if they don't get him they have to try for Alonso) and letting JT go for a mid-tier catcher might cost the Phillies the same 2-3 wins over a season that they might not get w/o Ranger if they end up having to replace him with a fungible #5 (but ideally they don't because it's Painter).
For that matter, if I was running the Phillies and they told me I could spend an extra $20 million on a position of lesser need/redundance, I'd just release or trade Nick a year early and sign a new bat now.
I'd like to keep him. For now I hope he gets to November with things just as they are (I.e. no injury or fall-of). But I reckon if they did re-sign him they would trade Luzardo.
Nola is the x factor here of course.
