Phillies pitcher Ranger Suárez experiences left forearm tightness, plans to rest for a few days
Asked if he will be healthy in time for his first start, Suárez said he was unsure: “That’s what I’m hoping for. I know it’s a very long season, so I don’t want to miss much of it.”
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CLEARWATER, Fla. — Left-hander Ranger Suárez said Friday he is dealing with left forearm tightness.
Suárez was back in Phillies camp on Friday morning after pitching for Team Venezuela in an exhibition game against the Houston Astros on Wednesday ahead of the World Baseball Classic competition. He was pulled from the game in the second inning.
Suárez is going to rest for a few days. He says he’s not worried but just wanted to get checked out. He did not get an MRI. When asked whether he would be ready for the start of the season, Suárez was unsure.
”I think so,” he said. “At least, that’s what I’m hoping for. I know it’s a very long season, so I don’t want to miss much of it.”
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Suárez said he was unsure of the cause of the injury. But he is coming off a career-highinnings pitched in 2022, with 155⅓. That doesn’t include the 14⅔ innings he logged in the postseason.
Manager Rob Thomson has said he feels good about the Phillies’ starting pitching depth, but beyond Bailey Falter, Nick Nelson and Cristopher Sanchez — who dealt with back issues early in camp — the Phillies don’t have a many proven arms to turn to. Michael Plassmeyer has had a strong spring and is an option, and the Phillies say that they believe Griff McGarry is a big league starter, but McGarry has struggled with his command early in camp.
Falter is the clear favorite to fill a rotation spot. When asked who is a front-runner aside from Falter, Thomson pointed to Plassmeyer.
“I’m confident in all of those guys, I really am,” Thomson said. “It’s like last year when everybody seemed to be going down, people come up and step up and do their job, and that’s what we kind of expect.
“Plassmeyer has been throwing the ball very well. We’re still building Sanchez and Nick Nelson, but Plassmeyer has been throwing the ball very well.”
Plassmeyer, a 26-year-old left-hander, has yet to allow an earned run in 5⅓ innings this spring. He made his big league debut last season, and posted a 3.68 ERA through two games (7⅓ innings).