Ranger Suárez’s career-high 11 strikeouts power Phillies past Nationals
Suárez has struck out 21 batters during his last two starts.
The Phillies’ rotation is still as strong as ever, even without ace Zack Wheeler.
Ranger Suárez is just the latest Phillies pitcher to dominate since Wheeler’s season-ending injury, cruising through seven innings with a career-high 11 strikeouts in a 3-2 victory over the Nationals on Sunday. He allowed just three hits and no walks on 90 pitches. Suárez earned a standing ovation from the crowd after exiting the game in the seventh.
“The velocity jumped up a little bit, but so has the command, and that’s really the thing for him,” manager Rob Thomson said. “When he can get the ball to his glove side, he’s really effective. Everything else plays off that, and that’s what he’s doing right now.”
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Since Wheeler’s injury, the remaining Phils starters have been on a mission to prove why they’re still the league’s best starting staff even without the Cy Young contender.
Over his last two starts, Suárez has struck out 21 batters, the first time he’s ever struck out double-digit batters in consecutive starts, and he’s not the only one dominating. Jesús Luzardo and Cristopher Sánchez both recorded 12 strikeouts in their last starts, and Aaron Nola posted his first quality start since May 3 on Saturday.
Suárez used his full arsenal to mow down the Nationals’ lineup on Sunday, getting two strikeouts each with his slider, cutter, and curveball, three with his fastball, and one each on the changeup and the sinker. He credited getting ahead in the count with helping him rack up strikeouts, forcing the Nationals’ top hitters to chase.
“Lately, I’ve been watching videos from the past starts before the last two that I’ve had, and I saw myself, and I didn’t think that I was myself on the mound,” Suárez said through a team interpreter. “It looked like I was kind of battling myself on the mound as I was pitching. I think it’s just relaxing a little more and enjoying the game a little more is what’s helped in that.”
Suárez said when he doesn’t execute his pitches, he feels himself get frustrated, which causes a snowball effect that impacts his next at-bats. Over his last two successful starts, he’s limited that.
“Now I’m more thinking about executing the pitches, and whenever I don’t execute, trying not to think too much about it and just keep going,” Suárez said.
The Phillies offense did just enough to take advantage of Suárez’s big day thanks to catcher Rafael Marchán, who started the Phillies off with a two-run double in the second inning, bringing home Nick Castellanos and Bryson Stott, after Castellanos and Harrison Bader singled to get on base and Stott moved Castellanos to third with a fielder’s choice. In the third inning, Marchán worked a bases-loaded walk to get the Phillies up 3-0.
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However, the Phillies failed to add to that lead as the game progressed against the National League’s worst bullpen — the Nationals’ relief pitchers have pitched to a 5.66 ERA in 2025 — getting just three runners on base and just one hit, a Bryce Harper sixth-inning double, in the final five innings of the game.
José Alvarado, making his second appearance since his return from an 80-game suspension for violating MLB’s performance-enhancing drugs policy, loaded the bases with no outs in the eighth, putting the Phillies’ offensive struggles into focus.
Tanner Banks replaced him with two left-handed batters up in the order, and he induced a James Wood double play — allowing just one run to score — and got CJ Abrams to fly out to end the inning. Banks has been one of the Phillies’ best pitchers against left-handed batters, allowing just a .455 OPS against lefties.
“We’re all going to be ready whenever the phone rings, and whether that’s to face righties or face lefties or come in with bases loaded,” Banks said. “Whatever it is, we’re all going to do our best to pick each other up, because that’s what championship baseball looks like.”
The Phillies turned to Orion Kerkering for the save, giving Jhoan Duran the day off after he closed on Friday and Saturday. Kerkering allowed a solo home run to Luis García Jr. to bring the game to 3-2 before securing the Phillies’ win.