Ranger Suárez will not make his scheduled start this Friday against the Atlanta Braves in Spring Training. Venezuelan is experiencing back discomfort again, so his status as a Philadelphia Phillies roster member for Opening Day is uncertain.
This isn’t the first time the lefty has phisically struggled. In fact, in 2024, he was on the disabled list for over a month due to lower back pain, and since then, his performance has declined sharply.
According to Phillies manager Rob Thomson, current discomfort isn’t as severe as last year’s; however, they prefer to be cautious given Ranger Suárez’s history. That’s why they decided to cancel Friday appearance and see how his body evolves with rest.
The truth is this decision casts doubt on Suárez’s readiness for the start of the season. The left-hander has only pitched five innings this spring, so he needs at least two more starts to be ready for a full-throttle start.
TESTING ON THE ROAD
Scott Lauber of The Philadelphia Inquirer shed more light on Ranger Suárez‘s condition. The Venezuelan will be on complete rest for the next two days, which could extend to three if the pain doesn’t subside.
Meanwhile, the Phillies will await the results of the checkups they performed on the pitcher. This will buy them time and determine if there is a serious back injury, although the team explained that it is a preventative measure.
Not having Suárez is a problem in Philadelphia. The best available options are Joe Ross and Taijuan Walker, pitchers who are nowhere near the level the Venezuelan reached in 2024, when he posted a 3.46 ERA with 12 wins and 150 innings pitched.
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An injury would also be extremely unfortunate for Ranger Suárez. The lefty is heading into the most important season of his career. He’ll become a free agent after the season and needs a good performance to aspire to a multimillion-dollar contract.
Photo: @Phillies
