This story was excerpted from Todd Zolecki’s Phillies Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

Ranger Suárez is back, but pitching is always on the Phillies’ minds.

Suárez will make his 2023 debut Saturday night against the Rockies at Coors Field, following a two-month recovery from a strained left elbow. Suárez hasn’t pitched since Game 3 of the World Series, when he tossed five scoreless innings in a 7-0 victory over Houston at Citizens Bank Park. It capped a phenomenal postseason for him, posting a 1.23 ERA in five appearances, including a two-out save in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series.

The Phillies need more of that from Suárez.

The top four spots in the rotation are now set with Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Taijuan Walker and Suárez. Walker allowed three earned runs in six innings in Friday's 6-3 victory over the Rockies. He allowed one run in six innings Sunday against the Red Sox. Nola and Wheeler each pitched well in their last starts, too. All three have a combined 2.52 ERA during the Phillies’ four-game winning streak.

Left-hander Bailey Falter will pitch next week in San Francisco, although Phillies manager Rob Thomson said they will use an opener.

Falter has a 7.71 ERA in the first inning this season. He has a combined 5.28 ERA in the others. The hope is the Phillies get a clean inning or two from a reliever, then Falter continues from there.

Really, it is just a way to try to get Falter going. The Phillies already pushed back Falter’s start from this weekend to next week. They hope the extra rest will give him more life to his fastball.

Time will tell. But Falter’s spot in the rotation seems relatively safe, in part, because the Phillies do not have any obvious alternatives. Right-hander Nick Nelson just moved from Double-A Reading to Triple-A Lehigh Valley, but Thomson recently said he sees Nelson more as a “bulk reliever.” IronPigs left-handers Michael Plassmeyer (1-3, 6.11 ERA) and Cristopher Sánchez (0-2, 6.14 ERA) are the only other starters on the 40-man roster.

Ideally, top prospect Andrew Painter is healthy and pitching well, but he is progressing slowly from an injured UCL in his right elbow. Painter has been throwing recently from 120 feet. He could pitch off flat ground next week.

“We want to be cautious and respect every factor in play,” Phillies general manager Sam Fuld said Friday. “For better or worse, we’re seeing more significant injuries around that age [20] and younger. At the amateur level, you’re just seeing more and more arm injuries. I’d be hesitant to compare past precedent just because so many of the circumstances have changed. But whether you’re 19 or 23, I think we’d [handle] this with the same amount of care. We’ll take baby steps each and every day and just stay focused on the task at hand, but we definitely envision him getting back to action this summer.”

The Phillies said in March they still envision Painter pitching for them this season. That hasn’t changed.

No. 2 prospect Mick Abel allowed nine runs in 3 2/3 innings Friday night with Reading. He walked five and struck out four. He began the night with a 2.53 ERA in five starts, striking out 25 and walking eight in 21 1/3 innings. He finished the night with a 5.40 ERA.

“We’re encouraged with the progress,” Fuld said. “I think we saw it last year -- his strike-throwing improved. You see him take another step forward and have success. We know he’s got Major League talent, but for now, it’s encouraging to see him get Double-A hitters out. Like we would with anybody else, we’ll monitor his situation and our situation.”