The Philadelphia Phillies boast one of baseball’s top starting rotations, even without Ranger Suarez, who’s been sidelined since a spring training back injury. Limited to 5.0 innings in Grapefruit League play and 4.0 more at the Carpenter Complex, Suarez has been cautiously managed due to his history of back issues.
In his first rehab start with Single-A Clearwater on Thursday, he looked sharp, tossing three scoreless innings on 33 pitches, allowing one hit, and striking out four. His fastball, averaging 92.2 mph—up from 91.8 mph in 2024—showed promising velocity, possibly due to a shorter outing or offseason gains.
Suarez’s 33-pitch count suggests he’s progressing but still weeks away from rejoining the majors, likely needing two or three more rehab starts to build stamina, effectively repeating spring training after just nine innings in camp.
The Phillies haven’t missed a beat in his absence. Jesus Luzardo, their key offseason pickup, has been stellar, resembling his 2022-23 form, while Taijuan Walker, filling Suarez’s spot, has bounced back from a rough 2024 with 10.2 scoreless innings to start 2025. When Suarez returns, manager Rob Thomson will face tough decisions if the rotation continues its dominance.
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