PHILADELPHIA — Back spasms are once again part of Ranger Suarez’s season story, though this latest chapter on them has taken a logistical turn.
“(He) woke up yesterday with tightness in his back,” manger Rob Thomson said yesterday of Suarez, who rushed through April and May to become MLB’s first 10-game winner, a run that included wins in his first nine decisions.
But since his 10th win on June 8 against the Mets, Suarez has gone 0-4 with three no-decisions. His ERA went from 1.75 on June 19 to 2.87 after his last start on July 22. That 10-5 loss to the Twins was Suarez’s third straight losing decision. Along the way, he opted out of an invitation to pitch in the All-Star Game due to “mild” back spasms.
It’s the other side of the back that’s bothering him now.
“It’s the left side, not the same side as before,” Thomson said. “He thought he could work through it in his bullpen (sessions on Friday) but he couldn’t. So he was still tight afterwards. We’re going to be super cautious and give it a little rest.”
Suarez was thus placed on the 15-day injured list Saturday, retroactive to July 24. Recently effective Lehigh Valley starter Kolby Allard was called up and is scheduled to start in Suarez’s place Sunday against the Cleveland Guardians.
Allard, 26, was 2-6 with a 5.23 ERA in 16 games (10 starts) for the IronPigs. But he recovered from his ugly start to the season and in eight appearances since June 1 posted a 2.84 ERA with 42 strikeouts over 63.2 innings pitched.
“He’s pitching good. The fastball’s going to be 88-90, or 91, but he’s really commanding the baseball right now,” Thomson said of Allard. “He’s commanding all his pitches, and he’s one of the top pitchers in the International League right now.”
The Phillies now have two Triple-A regulars in their rotation, the other being IronPigs promotee Tyler Phillips, who started for the Phils again on Saturday against the Guardians.
But Thomson and the Phillies are banking on Suarez’s IL stay to not go beyond the 15-day status.
“We’re hoping it’s not,” Thomson said. “We’re hoping he’s back during the Arizona series … hoping.”
The visiting Phillies play a four-game series against the Diamondbacks beginning Aug. 8.
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Pitching in a pair of simulated innings Friday, injured Taijuan Walker impressed the manager. Thomson said Walker likely threw 38 pitches during the session, and …
“It was really good. Really good,” Thomson stressed. “His velocity was up, the splitter was excellent, command was good.”
The Phillies are hoping to get Walker for another simulated session sometime midweek, whereupon he may be scheduled for a subsequent rehab assignment or two.
Walker hasn’t pitched since June 21. He’s 3-3 with a 5.60 ERA.
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Rob Thomson, speaking before Saturday’s game, on his team losing seven of its previous 10 games: “We’ve just just have gotten into a little bit of a rut coming out of the (All-Star) break. And guys typically, they try to do too much. And I think that’s where we’re at right now. We’ve just got to keep it simple. We have to make the plays we’re supposed to make, the pitchers need to throw strikes and we need to grind out at bats and use the entire field and pass the baton. If we do that, we’re a good team.”
Source: Berkshire mont
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