When you think of a reliable starter with little worry about them maneuvering around high-leverage moments, you think of Ranger Suárez. He has been the quiet leader-by-example type out of the No. 3 spot in the rotation for some time, and Suárez doesn't seem to mind. He's a fan favorite, and fans love to see any energy gush from him in the limited capacity he reveals.
Suárez earned his first All-Star selection this year and has put himself comfortably in the middle of a Philadelphia Phillies rotation that just might be good enough to win the World Series.
Rob Thomson's faith in Ranger Suárez feels empty until results match the words
However, since the All-Star break, Suárez has been unable to match his success from earlier in the year. Pre-break, Suárez was 10-4 with a 2.76 ERA in 19 starts. In six post-break starts, he is 2-3 with a 4.55 ERA. Suárez also hit the 15-day IL with lower back soreness which caused him to miss a month of action.
After another rough outing in the series opening 6-2 loss to Milwaukee, Suárez still appears to have some dip in velocity, per NBC Sports Philadelphia's Corey Seidman. Phillies manager Rob Thomson continued to echo his belief in Suárez postgame with his ability to right the ship in time for the postseason, per MLB.com's Todd Zolecki.
"I think the stuff is a little bit down, I do,” Thomson said, per Zolecki. “That doesn’t mean it’s not going to come back. I think it will. Again, it’s like his third rehab start. I think he’s going to get better, and I trust him."
As October nears, Rob Thomson and Ranger Suárez are both confident that the starter will get back on track. 🤞 | @WapnerNewman pic.twitter.com/NxGwfY96IN
— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) September 17, 2024
It is nice to see Thomson's repetitive belief in Suárez, knowing the resume he has put together this year with a 12-7 record and 3.13 ERA. However, it makes fans nervous when the left-hander's current pitching trajectory isn't trending upward with time running out before the playoffs.
The Phillies need Suárez's results to back up the comments from the clubhouse and the manager's office. It's crunch time now, and every game truly matters as the Phillies try to lock down the NL East and the No. 1 seed for the playoffs.