| Ranger Suárez | |
|---|---|
_(cropped).jpg) Suárez with thePhiladelphia Phillies in 2018 | |
| Free agent | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: (1995-08-26)August 26, 1995 (age 30) Pies de Cuesta, Venezuela | |
Bats: Left Throws: Left | |
| MLB debut | |
| July 26, 2018, for the Philadelphia Phillies | |
| MLB statistics (through 2025 season) | |
| Win–loss record | 53-37 |
| Earned run average | 3.38 |
| Strikeouts | 705 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
Ranger José Suárez Gomez[1] (born August 26, 1995) is aVenezuelan professionalbaseballpitcher who is a free agent. He has previously played inMajor League Baseball (MLB) for thePhiladelphia Phillies.
The Phillies signed Suárez, a native of Pies de Cuesta, as an internationalfree agent in 2012. His first season in theVenezuelan Summer League (VSL) was cut short by a drug suspension, but he returned to pitch in the VSL for two more seasons. In 2014, after giving up only onewalk for the duration of the season, he began to attract the attention of the Phillies organization, and he was moved to theRookie League the following year. Suárez's stock continued to rise in 2016 when he pitched ano-hitter with theWilliamsport Crosscutters. In 2017 and 2018, he continued to rise through the Phillies'farm system, spending time inDouble-A andTriple-A as a starting pitcher with a high strikeout rate.
Suárez made his major league debut in 2018 when the Phillies needed an additional starting pitcher. He returned to Triple-A at the start of the 2019 season but was a mainstay within the Phillies by the end of June. He was used as arelief pitcher for most of his appearances that season, but was in contention for a role in the starting rotation in 2020. Suárez ultimately missed most of the shortened season after contractingCOVID-19 during training camp. He returned to the team in 2021 as along reliever, pitching a stretch of successful middle innings in a depth-challenged roster, before joining the starting rotation at thetrading deadline. Suárez served as the third starter during the 2022 Phillies season and was a key factor in the team winning the National League pennant.
Suárez was born in Pie de Cuesta, Venezuela.[1] His father, Ricardo, worked as a farmer, while Suárez spent his childhood playing baseball and soccer. He spent most of his time in theoutfield, but began pitching at the age of 15.[2]
ThePhiladelphia Phillies ofMajor League Baseball (MLB) signed Suárez as an internationalfree agent in2012 for asigning bonus of $25,000 USD.[3] He was sixteen years old when he made his professional baseball debut for theVenezuelan Summer League (VSL) Phillies, pitching in three games as the team'scloser. In fiveinnings pitched, Suárez recorded fourstrikeouts and recorded twosaves.[4] Suárez' season came to an abrupt end in July after he was found in violation of theMinor League Baseball (MiLB) drug program. Suárez and fellow pitcher Daniel Cordero tested positive for theanabolic steroidStanozolol, and were both suspended for 50 games.[5] He returned to the VSL the following year, posting a 3.18earned run average with eightruns allowed and 13 strikeouts in 17 innings.[4] Suárez started to attract attention within the Phillies organization in2014, when he gave up only onewalk in80+2⁄3 innings for the VSL Phillies.[6] He posted a 5–4win–loss record that season, with a 1.56 ERA and 78 strikeouts, while leading the VSL in both innings pitched (80+2⁄3) and strikeouts (78).[1][4]
By2015, Suárez had been assigned to theRookie LeagueGCL Phillies. He pitched in only six games that season in theGulf Coast League, as a left elbow strain cut his season short. In the27+2⁄3 innings that he did pitch, Suárez posted a 3–0 record and a 0.65 ERA with 20 strikeouts and only four walks allowed.[7] The next year, he was assigned to theClass A Short-SeasonWilliamsport Crosscutters of theNew York–Penn League (NYPL). On July 26, in the first game of adoubleheader against theAuburn Doubledays, Suárez pitched a seven-inningno-hitter and took Williamsport to a 4–0 victory.[8] For the feat, he was named both the Phillies Minor League and the NYPL Pitcher of the Week for the week spanning July 25 to 31.[1] Suárez finished the season with a 6–4 record and a 2.81 ERA, striking out 53 batters in73+2⁄3 innings.[4] That September, he was honored with the Rankin Johnson Pitcher of the Year Award, given to the Crosscutters' top pitcher of the season as decided by teammates and coaches.[9]
Suárez began the2017 season with theClass ALakewood BlueClaws. He had a strong start to the year, giving up only two runs in his first four starts and reaching a streak of 24shutout innings. For his efforts, the Phillies named Suárez their Minor League Pitcher of the Month for April 2017.[10] On June 27, he carried aperfect game into the eighth inning before giving up asingle to Jarett Rindfleisch of theGreensboro Grasshoppers.[11] Suárez was named to theSouth Atlantic League All-Star team, butJordan Jess replaced him on the roster.[12] This was because before the game, on July 4, Suárez was promoted to theClass A-AdvancedClearwater Threshers. He joined a rotation of top pitching prospects that also includedJoJo Romero,Sixto Sanchez, andFranklyn Kilome.[13] Between both minor league teams, Suárez posted an 8–6 record in 2017, with a 2.27 ERA and 128 strikeouts in122+2⁄3 innings.[4] At the end of the season, the Phillies added Suárez and three other pitching prospects to the40-man roster, in order to protect them from theRule 5 draft.[14]
In 2018, Suárez was assigned to theDouble-AReading Fightin Phils as part of a starting rotation that also included Romero, Kilome, andSeranthony Dominguez.[15] He was named theEastern League Pitcher of the Week twice with Reading, once in April and once in June.[16] At the end of June, he was promoted to theTriple-ALehigh Valley IronPigs, where, after a difficult first start, he accumulated 65 strikeouts in 14 games.[17] Between Reading and Lehigh, Suárez posted a 6–3 record in 2018, with a 2.75 ERA and 85 strikeouts in 21 games and124+1⁄3 innings.[4]
After a rain delay forced a doubleheader against theSan Diego Padres, the Phillies needed an extra man in their starting rotation, and Suárez was called up to the major leagues on July 24, 2018.[18] He debuted on July 26, allowing six hits and four runs in five innings, including a pair of two-runhome runs fromEugenio Suarez andTucker Barnhart. Suárez came away with the win, however, as the Phillies hit seven home runs for a 9–4 victory.[19] He was the first left-handed starter to pitch for the Phillies sinceAdam Morgan in 2016.[18] Suárez played four games with the Phillies in 2018, starting three, and posted a 1–1 record with a 5.40 ERA and 11 strikeouts in 15 innings.[20]
Suárez returned to Lehigh in 2019 as MLB.com's No. 10 prospect in the Phillies organization.[21] After two brief major-league call-ups in June, he received a final promotion to the Phillies on June 20. That July, he became the first Phillies pitcher sinceMichael Stutes in 2011 to record wins in three consecutive appearances.[1] Despite playing 82 of his 94 minor league games as astarting pitcher, Suárez became a staple of the Phillies'bullpen as a left-handed reliever alongside Morgan andJosé Álvarez.[22] He made 37 relief appearances for the Phillies in 2019, finishing eight games for them. Suárez posted a 6–1 record and a 3.14 ERA, with 42 strikeouts in48+2⁄3 innings.[20]
After his successful 2019 season, Suárez was expected to be a strong candidate for a position in the Phillies'2020 starting rotation.[23] His upward trajectory, however, came to a halt shortly beforeopening day, when he tested positive for theCOVID-19 virus.[24] After spending four weeks quarantining in a hotel room inClearwater, Florida, Suárez rejoined the roster for the final part of the season, which was shortened to 60 games due to theimpacts of the pandemic.[25] He began rehab assignments in Lehigh Valley in late August before being placed into a bullpen with recent acquisitionsBrandon Workman,Heath Hembree, andDavid Hale.[26] In only four innings with the Phillies, Suárez posted an ERA of 20.25, surrendering 10 hits and nineearned runs, including one home run, while striking out only one batter.[20]
Once again, Suárez opened the 2021 season with Lehigh.[27] He returned to the Phillies on May 27, called in to relieveSpencer Howard in the fifth inning of a game against theMiami Marlins. He took over on the mound with the bases loaded, and proceeded to pitch three shutout innings in what ultimately became a 3–2 win for the Phillies.[25] The following week, on June 5, Suárez was once again called to relieve Howard, whose pitch velocity fell by 6 mph (9.7 km/h) between the first and third inning. After the 5–2 victory over theWashington Nationals, Phillies managerJoe Girardi told reporters that he intended to combine Howard and Suárez in future games.[28] His role had shifted by July:Héctor Neris was removed as the Phillies'closer in June after four blownsaves and an 8.22 ERA for the month, andJosé Alvarado lost the position when hewalked 27 batters in 31 innings. Suárez was asked to close a 4–2 win over theSan Diego Padres on July 3, picking up his first career save.[29] He blew his first save two weeks later, giving up a two-run home run toJesús Aguilar in the ninth inning of a game against theMiami Marlins, forcing the game intoextra innings.[30] At the MLBtrading deadline, the Phillies acquired closerIan Kennedy from theTexas Rangers; Suárez, in turn, was promoted to the starting rotation.[31] Suárez threw his first careercomplete game, a 97 pitch four-hit 3-0shutout orMaddux against thePittsburgh Pirates on September 25, 2021.[32][33]
He pitched in 39 games for the Phillies in 2021, starting 12 and finishing 13, and posted an 8–5 record with a 1.36 ERA and 107 strikeouts in 106 innings.[20] He held opposing left-handed batters to a .109 batting average and .129 slugging percentage, the lowest of all major league pitchers.[34]
In 2022, he was 10-7 with a 3.65 ERA in 29 starts over 155.1 innings.[35] He held opposing left-handed batters to a .197 batting average and .303 slugging percentage.[36]
In game five of the2022 National League Championship Series, Suárez helped to clinch the series win over the San Diego Padres. Suárez entered the game at the top of the ninth inning to replaceDavid Robertson, who managed to strike out his first batter and issued two walks afterwards. Suárez's first pitch was bunted byTrent Grisham to which Suárez fielded to throw out Grisham, allowing the runners to advance to second and third base. With two outs, Suárez facedAustin Nola, who hit a fly ball on the first pitch thrown and was caught byNick Castellanos, claiming a 4–3 victory over the Padres.
On January 13, 2023, Suárez agreed to a one-year, $2.95 million contract with the Phillies for the 2023 season, avoiding salary arbitration.[37]
In the 2023 regular season, Suárez had a record of 4-6 with a 4.18 ERA over 22 starts and 125 innings pitched with 119 strikeouts.
In the2023 National League Division Series against theAtlanta Braves, Suárez would start in both Games 1 and 4, in both games matching up with Braves pitcherSpencer Strider. In Game 1, he pitched 3.2 innings, only giving up 1 hit and recording 4 strikeouts. In Game 4, Suárez recorded a victory, pitching 5 innings and giving up only 1 earned run in a 3-1 series-clinching victory.
Suárez was named the National League Pitcher of the Month for March/April 2024. During that period, Suárez won all six of his starts with a 0.63 WHIP, a 1.32 ERA in 41 innings pitched, and a complete game shutout against theColorado Rockies. Suárez was then elected to make his first All-Star appearance, but backed out due to back soreness.[38]
In the 2024 regular season, Suárez had a record of 12-8 with a 3.46 ERA over 27 starts and 150.2 innings pitched with 145 strikeouts.
In the 2025 regular season, Suárez had a record of 12-8 with a 3.20 ERA over 26 starts and 157.1 innings pitched with 151 strikeouts.
In the2025 National League Division Series against theLos Angeles Dodgers, Suárez played as a relief pitcher in Game 3, matching up with Dodgers pitcherYoshinobu Yamamoto. In the game, he pitched 5 innings, only giving up one hit and one run while recording 4 strikeouts in an 8-4 victory. After the postseason, Suárez became a free agent.
Suárez spent most of his professional baseball career as a starting pitcher before alternating through the bullpen in many roles such as along reliever,set-up man, andcloser by the Phillies from 2019 to 2021. In the late 2021 season, however, the Phillies moved Suárez to the starting pitching rotation due to a lack of depth and injuries in their rotation.[39] Suárez' pitch repertoire varies based on how he is being used: as a starting pitcher, he prefers to use aslider, while, as a reliever, he utilizes a combination of asinker and achangeup. Suárez'fastball averages 93 mph (150 km/h) and contributes to a high strikeout rate.[40]
Suárez met his wife, Joseany Cabello, when they were children in Pie de Cuesta, and they were married during the 2023–24 MLB offseason. They have two children together.[41] Suárez is the first MLB player to be named "Ranger". While he was playing in the minor leagues, some of his teammates nicknamed him the "redPower Ranger".[42] Suárez has two brothers named Raymer and Rosmer and a sister named Rangerlin. He told reporters that it is a family tradition to give every child a name beginning with the letter "R".[3]