Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Ranger Suarez

For Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Ranger Suarez, the 2024 season was a tale of two halves . The team is hopeful that 2025 will feature more of the good and less of the bad. 

Which made Wednesday’s announcement particularly cringe-worthy. 

Phillies manager Rob Thomson informed reporters that Suarez will not make his next scheduled start on Friday in a split-squad game against the Toronto Blue Jays. Thomson said that Suarez underwent testing on Sunday for back stiffness after throwing 60 pitches in four innings of an intrasquad game on Saturday. 

“That’s why we haven’t announced anything on the rotation, who’s pitching when, or who’s got the home opener, and all that stuff, because we’ve moved people around,” Thomson said . 

Ranger Suarez to Miss Next Spring Training Start Due to Back Stiffness

Aches and pains are normal in spring training, as players gear up for the rigors of the regular season. But for a starting pitcher to experience discomfort similar to what had derailed his previous season is anything but routine. 

Suarez was enjoying a career year through the first half of 2024. He went 10-2 with a 1.83 ERA in 16 starts, and he was selected to the National League All-Star team for the first time. 

However, Suarez was unable to compete in the All-Star game due to the back discomfort, which would eventually land him on the injured list. Along with hamstring and shoulder issues, the back tightness would hinder Suarez for the rest of the season, and he went 2-6 with a 6.54 ERA in his final 11 starts. 

So it should come as no surprise that Phillies fans are fearing the worst over news of Suarez again having issues with his back, despite Thomson’s assurances that compared to what Suarez felt in 2024, this latest setback is “not quite as bad.” 

“So the next 24, 48 hours will tell us a lot,” Thomson added. 

And it has huge implications for Suarez’s future. He will become a free agent after this season ends, and Suarez said early in spring training that he knows he has to produce results in order to take advantage of the situation. 

“I think that’s the first thing I have to do. Remain healthy. Pitch well,” he said. “But I’m focused on staying healthy throughout the year.” 

Phillies Could Put Ranger Suarez on Injured List to Open Season

With opening day just one week away , the team could decide to err on the side of caution and put Suarez on the 15-day injured list. The Phillies do have a pair of off-days during the first six days of the season, so they would not need a fifth starter until April 6, when they face the Dodgers.  

The team’s other four starters – Zack Wheeler, Jesus Luzardo, Aaron Nola and Christopher Sanchez – all appear healthy as spring training winds down. An IL stint for Suarez to open the season could be backdated a few days, meaning he would be eligible to rejoin the team on April 8. In that scenario, Philadelphia would need to fill just one spot in the rotation, and Taijuan Walker would likely take that start. 

Walker, who has started 209 times in 217 big league appearances over his 12-year career, went 3-7 in 2024 with a 7.10 ERA in 19 appearances. 

Dave Benson Dave Benson is a longtime writer with over three decades of experience in a variety of mediums, including 15 years covering high school, collegiate and minor league sports in the St. Louis metropolitan area. Dave is also a licensed English teacher and spent a few years teaching at the middle school level. More about Dave Benson