The rotation DCSman proposes is still probably good enough to get in the playoffs and good enough for the playoffs though. You barely need a fourth starter. And better than our last three playoff rotations too (given Ranger himself was not good enough last year and Sanchez was a non-factor in '23. In '22 Thor and Falter actually won games for us, or at least started games we won).
I suppose we need our own "what should the Phillies do with Ranger?" thread at this point. (I also reckon tomorrow is a fair day to start a separate trade deadline thread, though you could certainly make the case for waiting until the break).
The debate over whether to trade Ranger this year is completely separate (and a lot less likely) than whether to re-sign him, even if the latter still seems unlikely. I at this point I take the 2.0 second-half WAR and playoff contribution, assuming he keeps doing what he's doing. The modest QO draft pick compensation is the least of it (but still something).
I suppose the third scenario would be that the Phillies actually get Ranger to take an extension before July 31, but what are the odds that could happen? This isn't 2014 though, they don't need to trade him for a rebuild.
