Philadelphia Phillies: Ranger Suarez is paying dividends in the rotation

When the Philadelphia Phillies decided to move left-hander Ranger Suarez from the bullpen to the starting rotation after the trade deadline, there were many who questioned the thought process of this move. The team was taking arguably their best reliever at the time and forcing him into a role he hadn’t done on a regular basis in three seasons.

In 27 games as a relief pitcher this season, Suarez pitched to an ERA of 1.12 across 40.1 innings. He had held opponents to a .152 batting average and had only allowed 35 total baserunners. So yeah, the questions were certainly warranted but it appears this move is beginning to pay off for the Phillies.

Through his first four turns in the starting rotation, the results were a bit of a mixed bag. Ranger still pitched to a solid ERA of 2.45 and had limited opponents to a batting average of .212. However, he only managed 14.2 innings through those four outings, which comes out to 3.55 innings per start. This can be explained partially due to a few of those outings having a capped pitch count, but the team still needed more.

More is exactly what they got on Tuesday night, as the lefty was fantastic against the AL East-leading Tampa Bay Rays. A career-high 6.2 innings of one-run ball with six hits against, one walk, and seven strikeouts which was also a career high. That is the type of outing the Philadelphia Phillies envisioned when inserting Suarez into the rotation. Unfortunately, the offense was non-existent as Ranger received a no-decision in the 3-1 loss.

Ranger Suarez continues to get better and better for the Philadelphia Phillies in the starting rotation.

While starts like the one Tuesday night from Ranger Suarez are what the Philadelphia Phillies had in mind with this move, the long-term view provides even more insight into why this was the right move for the franchise. With the addition of Kyle Gibson at the trade deadline and now Ranger’s emergence, the rotation for the 2022 season looks to be locked in.

Potential 2022 Starting Rotation

1. Zack Wheeler
2. Aaron Nola
3. Kyle Gibson
4. Zach Eflin
5. Ranger Suarez

What was once a major area for concern for the Philadelphia Phillies now looks like it could be a significant strength. This is a rotation that should give the team a chance to win on most nights, and it also allows the front office to focus on other holes on the roster that need to be patched. It is just one less thing that the front office will need to be concerned about.

Sure, depth will still be needed, as it is virtually impossible that those five guys would make every start next season, but it is one heck of a starting point.

With holes in center field, left field, third base, and multiple roles in the bullpen, not having to be overly concerned with the starting rotation is going to make the job of Dave Dombrowski much easier.

Factoring in that Ranger is under team control through 2026, the value he provides as a quality middle/back end of the rotation arm is massive.

As we head down the stretch in the 2021 season, hopefully, we continue to see him get more and more comfortable in his new role. More starts like Tuesday are obviously the goal, but just continuing to provide quality innings and getting more comfortable is what is most important.

There is no question about it; Ranger Suarez is an important piece of the puzzle for the Philadelphia Phillies now and in the future.