Suárez's sizzling spring commands No. 3 spot in rotation

LAKELAND, Fla. -- Phillies left-hander Ranger Suárez was dominant in Tuesday night’s 0-0 tie with the Tigers. After the game, manager Rob Thomson announced that Suárez would start the third game of the season-opening series against the Braves on March 31.

Suárez limited Detroit to one single and struck out four in five innings. That ran his Grapefruit League pitching line to 15 innings, zero runs allowed, five hits, four walks and 16 strikeouts.

“It’s a lot of confidence,” Suárez said through interpreter Diego D’Aniello. “If you have confidence, it’s going to work, and that worked for me.”

What’s impressed Thomson the most?

“His command,” the skipper said. “One, that he’s healthy. But his command has been outstanding. He had all his pitches going today and it was a little bit tough to see [at twilight] for the hitters. But his stuff was really good.

“He’s got all his pitches going. Breaking ball’s good, changeup’s good -- has got a lot of bottom to it. His two-seam [fastball], he’s got a lot of command with it. It’s been all good.”

Zack Wheeler will start the March 28 opener with Aaron Nola taking the ball on March 30 vs. Atlanta. Suárez has earned the No. 3 spot in the rotation.

“The sky’s the limit for him,” Thomson said of Suárez. “He’s got the makeup; he’s got the stuff. As long as he stays healthy, I’m expecting a really good year from him.”

A two-out single by Parker Meadows accounted for the Tigers' lone hit off Suárez, and it was the only ball Detroit managed to get beyond the infield, with 10 outs coming via ground balls.

“It was pitching down in the zone,” Suárez said, “and my sinker’s working very well.”

Suárez was “really efficient,” according to Thomson, requiring only 58 pitches and throwing 35 strikes.

“Last outing, I gave up four walks,” Suárez said of his only free passes in Spring Training. “So, this time, I attacked the hitters and that’s what happened.”

The 28-year-old Venezuelan is 29-21 with a 3.41 ERA and 8.1 strikeouts per nine innings over six seasons.

However, Suárez has been at his best in the biggest games.

Suárez won his lone World Series start against the Astros in 2022 -- throwing a three-hitter for five scoreless innings with four strikeouts. He’s 3-1 in the postseason with a 1.62 ERA and 32 strikeouts in 33 1/3 innings.

“As a pitcher, your goal is to pitch in the World Series,” Suárez said, “and once you do that, I feel a little more mature. So, that helps me, and I take that same mentality -- I’ve already pitched in the World Series -- into the regular season and the rest of the postseason as well.”

Suárez had career highs of 29 starts, 10 wins and 155 1/3 innings in 2022.

“My goal is 200 innings,” said Suárez, who was 4-6 with a 4.18 ERA in 22 starts (125 innings) in '23. “Two hundred innings is a good goal. I want to throw as many innings as I can.”

What would it mean for the Phillies if Suárez pitched 200 innings?

“I’m not sure if he’ll get there,” Thomson said. “But if he makes 30 starts, we’re in pretty good shape. It gives us a 1-2-3 [starter] punch that’s really good,”

Suárez would like to sign long-term deals with Philadelphia like Wheeler and Nola.

“I’ve always been a Phillie,” said Suárez, who will be a free agent in 2026. “I would like to remain a Phillie, but the goal is to stay in the big leagues for as long as possible. Of course, I would like an extension. But when we get to that topic, that’s not for me to handle. That’s for my agents.”

Having an injury-free spring is big for Suárez. He didn’t start until May 13 last year after an elbow injury and a strained right hamstring cost him another three weeks late in the season.

“Obviously, all the Spring Trainings, I’ve battled injuries and visa issues,” he said. “But this Spring Training, I feel good. I feel ready for the season.”