The Philadelphia Phillies have recently been one of the best teams in the Majors. They are well-poised for another pennant run in 2025. However, this summer, the Phillies front office may face the ever-difficult task of balancing present success with future considerations. Starting pitcher Ranger Suárez was recently brought up in potential trade talks by Jared Frank of SB Nation: And you know that the Yankees would love to have that [Suárez] comfort. They might be willing to pay a good price to bring Suárez’s assistance to an ailing rotation. And with Suárez’s contract expiring and Andrew Painter on the way, the time might be right. Floating this idea seems ludicrous, but maybe Frank has a point. Philadelphia still has a few more years of Zack Wheeler’s ace material. Christoper Sánchez is only 28 years old but has made leaps. Aaron Nola is still Aaron Nola, and the addition of Jesús Luzardo makes this a formidable rotation, with or without Suárez. The New York Yankees, meanwhile, are in a dire position to add starting pitching. Gerrit Cole is out for the year with Tommy John surgery, American League Rookie of the Year Luis Gil is out for an extended time, and with Aaron Judge’s prime years winding down, it could be now or never for New York.

The other key piece to this is Andrew Painter. The 6-foot-7, 21-year-old first-round draft pick is one of the most highly-touted prospects in baseball, coming in at No. 8 on MLB.com’s latest rankings. Painter is currently ramping up and should join the team sometime this summer. Suárez could be due for a big contract this offseason, and if the Phillies know they will be unwilling to pay him, a deadline move could make sense. Painter would be pressured to return sooner rather than later and star in his debut campaign. Would Philadelphia sell one of its most stable arms amid a title pursuit? It seems unlikely, but the business aspect of this league has never ceased to amaze, and with Suárez’s expiring deal, anything is possible.