Ranger Suárez always looking forward despite unimaginable start to the season originally appeared in NBC Sports Philadelphia
If their offense hadn’t disappeared at the worst possible time, the Phillies would almost certainly have won the 2023 NLCS and advanced to the World Series against the Texas Rangers last October.
That would have added some energy to Tuesday night’s proceedings at Citizens Bank Park.
If the defending world champion Rangers hadn’t suffered a run of bad luck with injuries this year, it likely would have been the first time since the opening series against Atlanta that the Phillies faced an opponent that would have given them an opportunity to measure up. another one of the best teams in baseball. That would have been fun.
Then again, as former Phillies manager Jim Fregosi used to say, if my aunt had wheels, she’d be a tea cart. Anyway, this is the G-rated version.
In the end, none of that mattered. National League Cy Young leader Ranger Suárez is worth the price of admission alone.
Ranger beat Rangers 5-2.
He increased his record to 9-0. His earned run average is 1.36. He is the first pitcher since Hall of Famer Juan Marichal in 1966 to win his first nine decisions with an ERA under 1.50.
“It’s kind of mind-boggling, you know,” said coach Rob Thomson. “The historic race he was on. He’s pitching really well. And, knock on wood, he continues.”
He gave up his first earned run since May 4 against the Giants on Tuesday night. At the start of the season, he had a streak of 32 scoreless innings.
His WHIP is 0.79. Opponents are batting .174 against him. He has pitched at least seven innings five times, including Tuesday when he matched his career high with 10 strikeouts.
I don’t want to get carried away, but if he maintains anything close to that level of excellence, soon even Roget will run out of superlatives to describe him.
And, at least outwardly, he appears as the least impressed person in the world with what he was able to accomplish.
He was asked what he thought about being mentioned in the same sentence as pitchers with signs in Cooperstown. “No, I just try to do the best job I can.” He said through interpreter Diego D’Aniello. “Keep the game close so the team can try to win. That’s the most important.”
Does he allow himself to reflect on the magnitude of what he has achieved so far? “Every time I go out to the mountains, I enjoy my walks. I like the results we get. I like the victories we achieved as a team. But the next day, I forget everything because I have to focus on the next start, the next thing I have to do.”
He is starting to be more recognized off the field. “As always,” he said. Although his laughter suggested that perhaps he was starting to attract more attention when he was out and about.
The one thing he highlighted was his mention of a group of fans, the Power Rangers, who huddle in the third deck in right field when he pitches at home. It’s a throwback to the latter days of the Vet, when the (Vicente) Padilla Flotilla, (Robert) Person’s People and, of course, the (Randy) Wolf Pack became a fixture.
“I saw them during my warm-up,” he said. “I tried to look and there they were. This brings me a lot of joy. It’s very exciting and I try to repay the joy they bring me.”
Suárez struck out five in the first two innings. He gave up that run in the third and a leadoff double to catcher Johnah Heim in the fourth, but after that he didn’t allow another runner to pass first.
Texas starter Jon Gray, who entered the game with a 2.08 ERA, sailed to third when he walked Brandon Marsh to lead off. Johan Rojas was retired in a sudden recovery to the mound, bringing in the Rangers’ medical staff to ensure he had not been injured. After a few moments of arguing, he remained in the game, but was not as effective the rest of the night.
Marsh ended up scoring. The Phillies scored the go-ahead run in the fourth. Gray left after five. He only allowed the two runs, but, if not for two good defensive plays by left fielder Ezequiel Duran and a line drive hit by first baseman Nathaniel Lowe that turned a potential RBI double into a double play, it could have been a lot of worse.
On the other hand, the way Ranger Suarez pitched didn’t seem to matter.
