CLEARWATER, Fla. – Ranger Suarez has long waited for the day when he could take a regular turn in a major league starting pitching rotation.
Not that he minded working out of the bullpen – as he did quite effectively for part of last season – but starting is always where his heart has been.
Suarez will get the chance to start full time in 2022. He earned it by recording a brilliant 1.51 ERA in 12 starts for the Phillies down the stretch last season. The team was 7-5 in those games.
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“I’ve been looking for this opportunity for years,” the 26-year-old lefty said after throwing his first bullpen session of the spring Friday.
The Venezuela native was delayed getting into camp by a few days as he awaited his visa. He reported no issues after his crisp, 25-pitch bullpen session Friday.
Opening day is three weeks away. Will he be ready to make a start during the first week of the season?
“Oh, si,” he said upon arriving in camp Thursday. “For sure. I feel really good.”
After Friday’s bullpen session, Suarez said he would defer to the “big bosses” as to when they believed he was ready. Earlier Friday, manager Joe Girardi said starters could be used for shorter durations the first time or two through the rotation because of the shortened spring. So, it’s possible the Phillies could handle Suarez that way at the outset of the season.
Whatever the team says, the carefree Suarez will roll with it. After being stuck in COVID protocol in 2020 and being slowed early last season by a quad injury, he doesn’t fuss too much. He just wants to pitch. And build on last season.
“I’m really just focused on this season,” he said. “Last year was really good but it was last season.”
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Suarez’ strength is his ability to locate a mid-90s fastball and attack hitters with no fear. His changeup is a plus pitch. He is adept at limiting hard contact and keeping the ball off barrels.
Suarez threw his slider just 7.8 percent of the time last year. He’s working on brushing up the pitch this spring. During Friday’s bullpen session, he used a new grip suggested to him by minor-league pitcher Francisco Morales.
“It’s different,” Suarez said of the one-seam grip. “We’ll see what it does.
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“As a starter, you need as many pitches as possible. You want to be consistent with all of them and mix it up. To survive in this league, you need multiple pitches.”
Suarez has the look of more than a survivor. After the showing he made in 2021, he could be primed for another big step forward in 2022.