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Why Red Sox are forfeiting two draft picks (not just one) by signing Ranger Suárez
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- Why Red Sox are forfeiting two draft picks (not just one) by signing Ranger Suárez
The Red Sox are forfeiting two 2026 MLB Draft selections as a result of signing qualified free agent starting pitcher Ranger Suárez .
Boston inked the 30-year-old lefty, who pitched the past eight seasons for the Phillies , to a five-year, $130 million contract on Wednesday .
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Suárez was attached to a qualifying offer after he rejected the one-year, $22.025 million QO the Phillies extended him at the beginning of this offseason.
Because the Red Sox ’ 2025 payroll exceeded the $241 million Competitive Balance Tax base threshold, Boston will forfeit its second- and fifth-highest draft selections in the 2026 MLB Draft. The team will also have its international signing bonus pool for the next signing period reduced by $1 million.
A team that has a payroll under the CBT threshold forfeits just one draft pick and $500,000 in international signing bonus pool money.
The Phillies also exceeded the CBT base threshold in 2025, meaning they will receive a draft pick after the fourth round as compensation for losing Suárez.
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Suárez was one of seven starting pitchers this offseason to receive a qualifying offer along with Framber Valdez , Dylan Cease , Michael King , Zac Gallen , Shota Imanaga and Brandon Woodruff .
Valdez and Gallen are the only pitchers from that group who remain unsigned.
Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow talked about the possibility of forfeiting draft picks at the GM Meetings in November. He said back then , “We’re in a position where we need to improve our 2026 roster and that means that there are certain trade-offs that we have to accept, and I think we’re prepared to do that.”
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