Phillies’ Ranger Suárez isn’t ruling out being ready for his first start of the season

CLEARWATER, Fla. — Ranger Suárez didn’t make any promises. But the Phillies left-hander also didn’t rule out opening the season on time after restarting his throwing program Tuesday.

“I’ll let you know in one week,” Suárez said.

Suárez made about 25 light tosses from 60 feet off flat ground on a back field at the Phillies’ spring training complex. It marked his first throws since he felt tightness in his forearm last Wednesday while pitching for Venezuela in a tune-up for the World Baseball Classic.

The Phillies directed Suárez to take five days off from throwing. He’s scheduled to play catch again Wednesday from a slightly longer distance, according to manager Rob Thomson, as the Phillies rebuild his throwing progression.

» READ MORE: J.T. Realmuto, Hall of Famer? Why the next three years could put the Phillies catcher in the discussion.

“I feel good,” Suárez said. “I feel better. I don’t feel anything [in the elbow]. See how it feels [Wednesday].”

Suárez has yet to appear in a Grapefruit League game. But with opening day nearly two weeks away, he still has time to get ready for his first start of the season. Because of days off early in the season, the Phillies won’t need a fifth starter until the sixth game — April 5 at Yankee Stadium.

The Phillies’ pitching depth took a hit last week when top prospect Andrew Painter was shut down from throwing for four weeks with a sprained proximal ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. It leaves Bailey Falter as the frontrunner for a rotation spot.

» READ MORE: Where the Andrew Painter and Ranger Suárez injuries leave the Phillies’ pitching rotation

If Suárez isn’t ready for the season, the Phillies would likely turn to left-hander Michael Plassmeyer. Fellow lefty Cristopher Sánchez started Tuesday against the Atlanta Braves and allowed three runs before recording an out in the first inning.

Backup catcher Garrett Stubbs will return from the World Baseball Classic with what Thomson characterized as “right knee irritation.” The Phillies will send Stubbs for imaging to get more information.

“We’re not overly concerned at this point,” Thomson said.

Stubbs played for Israel and delivered a tiebreaking two-run double in a 3-1 victory over Nicaragua. Thomson wasn’t sure how Stubbs was injured but said it happened in Israel’s 10-0 perfect-game loss to Puerto Rico.

» READ MORE: Sarah Edwards is the first female on-field coach in Phillies history

Nick Castellanos hit an opposite-field two-run homer in the first inning of a 15-5 loss to the Braves. But he was less satisified with the end result than by the process that led to it.

Castellanos worked a 3-1 count against Braves starter Bryce Elder before getting an elevated fastball on the inner half of the plate. Rather than getting overly aggressive and hooking it foul, as he would’ve done last season, he stayed with the pitch and hit it out to right-center field.

“That’s a real indication,” Castellanos said, “that Nick’s in a good spot.”

There are others. Thomson noted that Castellanos has worked seven walks in 10 games. He drew a total of 29 walks all of last season.

“That tells me one thing: that he’s seeing the ball,” Thomson said. “He’s not jumping.”

The Phillies are banking on a bounce-back season from Castellanos, especially with Bryce Harper expected to be sidelined for most of the season’s first half while recovering from Tommy John elbow surgery. Castellanos’ struggles last year, after signing a five-year, $100 million contract, have been well-documented.

» READ MORE: Inside the training routine that makes the Phillies’ Aaron Nola baseball’s most durable pitcher

Castellanos has worked with hitting coach Kevin Long on moving closer to the plate and forward in the batter’s box. If that leads to more walks, it will be a bonus. But Castellanos has always viewed his production based on slugging rather than getting on base.

“It’s that happy balance of doing less but still being ready to take an aggresisve swing,” he said. “I’m a swing-first guy. I have been my entire career, from the minor leagues up. It’s no secret that I can handle a pitch over the plate if I’m in sync, if I’m me. So, it’s finding that balance of being ready to hit with hitting your pitch.”

Scott Kingery notched two more hits and is 12-for-23 (.522) this spring. ... Infielder Edmundo Sosa started in center field for the second time this spring, and, well, it was another adventure. Sosa is learning everything about the position, including taking better routes to balls. ... Popular former Phillies second baseman Juan Samuel is in camp this week as a guest instructor after five years away from the organization. ... Aaron Nola will make his fourth Grapefruit League start at 1:05 p.m. Wednesday against the Yankees in Tampa, Fla. Although Thomson hasn’t named an opening-day starter, Nola is lined up to start his sixth consecutive opener for the Phillies.