Aug 12, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Ranger Suarez (55) tosses a ball during a stop in play in the sixth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images Katie Stratman
PHOENIX – Ranger Suárez's first start of the 2025 season raised alarm bells.
After missing the first month of the season due to lower back stiffness, Suárez returned to face the Arizona Diamondbacks on May 4. His return was disastrous; he went just 3 2/3 innings and gave up seven runs on seven hits.
Since then, Suárez had turned his season around, largely thanks to his stellar month of June where he allowed just six runs in six starts spanning 41 2/3 innings.
However, Suárez's start Sunday bore an eerie resemblance to that first start of 2025. May 4, Suárez gave up seven hits and seven runs to the D-backs in a two-inning span; Sunday, he gave up eight hits and six runs to the D-backs in a two-inning span.
Most of the damage was done in the bottom of the second inning. After scoring one run in the first, the Diamondbacks batted around the order in the second, collecting five hits and scoring five runs. Some smart hitting by the D-backs – or some bad luck – was involved: many of those hits never made it out of the infield, whether they came via infield single or bunt.
"A lot of bad luck there," Suárez said after the game via interpreter. "Also, they made me pay for all the pitches that I left in the zone, so a little bit of everything there."
Suárez left the game after 79 pitches through four innings pitched. It was his shortest start since the aforementioned season-opening start of 3 2/3 innings.
"(Suárez) had the 33-pitch second inning, he was at 80 pitches after four, he was down 6-0. I just wanted to take care of him," Phillies manager Rob Thomson said after Sunday's game about his decision to take Suárez out.
The Phillies offense, who found themselves in a 6-0 hole after two innings, didn't exactly respond well. They registered 11 hits in the game, but only two men crossed home plate in an eventual 9-2 loss.
The lone bright spot on offense was Alec Bohm. In all three games since returning from the IL Friday, Bohm has registered multiple hits. Sunday, he went 4-for-4 with a walk.
"He's been great. I'll probably have to move him up," Thomson said about Bohm. "He's on everything. Maybe that healthy shoulder is really helping."
Bohm once again tied his career high of four hits in a single game, a mark he has now reached nine times.
The Phillies' offense had many chances, but struggled to bring runs home; they left 13 batters on base and went just 1-for-14 with runners in scoring position. Nick Castellanos' RBI single in the top of the eighth was the sole successful RISP hit.
"We had plenty of opportunities," Thomson said. "Just didn't come through."
Suárez, who said he's felt better after every start this year, has one start remaining in the 2025 season. With 153 innings under his belt in 2025, he'll likely pass his career high of 155 1/3 innings in 2022. With that in mind, both Suárez and Thomson are focused on him finishing the season healthy.
"First and foremost is ending the season healthy," Suárez said. "Last year, I had a couple issues bothering me here and there, but that's not the case this year."
Next up is the postseason. Suárez has earned a reputation as a lights-out playoff pitcher. It's been a long season, but Red October is Suárez's light at the end of the tunnel.
"That's what we work for, right? That's why we have such a long season ahead of us every single year, to get to October," Suárez said. "We want to perform in the playoffs. I think we've lacked a little bit the past couple of years, so we all want to perform there. That's what it's all about."
It's still unclear if Suárez will pitch in Game 2 or Game 3 of the Phillies' first postseason series, but he made it clear he's willing to do whatever's needed.
"(I'll pitch in) Game 2, Game 3, even in Game 4," Suárez said.
"I'm willing to do whatever it takes to help this team win."
