Ranger Suárez reports to Phillies camp with a little help from his friends

CLEARWATER, Fla. — In obtaining his work visa to join the Phillies here Thursday, Ranger Suárez traveled from his home in Venezuela to Colombia, via Panama. The entire process took about 10 days, with Suárez staying at airport hotels along the way.

What’s a delayed major-league pitcher to do?

“The Phillies helped me make friends in Colombia,” Suárez said through a team translator. “I went to a stadium there and I played catch. I long-tossed with a couple of them. That’s how I trained.”

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Wait, go back. The Phils helped Suárez make friends in Colombia?

True story. It seems assistant general manager Jorge Velandia has connections to some players in Colombia. When Major League Baseball’s 99-day lockout ended last week and players and team officials were permitted to speak again, Velandia put Suárez in touch with them.

If Suárez is ready to open the season on time — and he believes he might be — Velandia will know whom to thank.

Suárez, who threw from a mound a couple of times in Venezuela before his travel odyssey, is scheduled for his first bullpen session Friday. Manager Joe Girardi characterized Suárez as “probably a little behind,” but will get a better idea within the next few days.

With ace Zack Wheeler sick with the flu this week and already behind schedule because of shoulder soreness that disrupted his offseason throwing program, the Phillies’ pitching depth would be tested further if Suárez is unable to take his turn in the first spin through the rotation.

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Aaron Nola and Kyle Gibson are slated to start Saturday and Sunday. Otherwise, triple-A options Michael Kelly (Friday), Hans Crouse (Monday), Bailey Falter (Tuesday), and Cristopher Sánchez (Wednesday) will take the ball through the first week of spring training games.

Suárez was a revelation last year. After getting called up in early May, he worked as a long reliever, a setup man, a closer, and finally a starter for the final two months of the season. And he posted a 1.36 ERA and became the first pitcher since Bob Gibson in 1968 with a sub-1.50 ERA in 100 or more innings, including at least 10 starts.

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“That’s where I’m trying to go,” Suárez said, laughing at being mentioned with a Hall of Famer. “But in all seriousness, it makes me feel very, very proud of myself. It makes me feel very happy to know that I am in that group of pitchers that performed so well and had so much success. It gives me a lot of confidence.

“But I have to be honest with myself. I know that this year’s different. I’ve got to keep training, keep doing my thing, keeping working hard. The success that I had last year, it’s not going to make me throw more strikes. I’ve just got to keep working.”

Given the Phillies’ plan to rotate multiple players through the designated hitter spot as though it’s a revolving door, utility infielder Johan Camargo could have an important role.

Signed on the eve of the lockout to a one-year, $1.4 million contract, Camargo has experience at every infield position. And Girardi said he intends to use the 28-year-old at each of them.

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Camargo hit 19 homers in 524 plate appearances as the Braves’ third baseman in 2018. But Atlanta signed Josh Donaldson as a free agent after that season, relegating Camargo to a bench spot. He spent most of last season in triple A, batting .326 with 19 homers and a .958 on-base plus slugging.

“I thought he had a chance to be an everyday player and then the Braves signed Donaldson, and sometimes you can get a little blocked,” Girardi said. “But I think there’s a lot of talent there and he could be really helpful.”

Wheeler (flu) was absent for a third consecutive day. Girardi said he heard the ace is feeling better but didn’t have a timetable for his return. … Third baseman Alec Bohm is the only regular scheduled to travel to Lakeland, Fla., for Friday’s spring training opener against the Tigers. Top prospects Bryson Stott and Johan Rojas are expected to play. … Lefty reliever Scott Moss cleared waivers and was outrighted to triple-A Lehigh Valley and assigned to minor-league camp after being removed from the 40-man roster this week. … The Phillies will be featured in three of the first eight ESPN Sunday Night Baseball games: April 24 at home vs. the Milwaukee Brewers and May 1 and May 29 on the road against the New York Mets.