PHILADELPHIA — Ranger Suárez started the season in the minors, reached the Phillies as a long reliever, pitched his way into the later innings, and was the team’s closer before moving to the starting rotation. He’s pitched in nearly every situation this season and his next role could be postseason starter.
The Phillies still have a ways to go to return to October for the first time in a decade, but Suárez’ shutout Saturday in a 3-0 win over Pittsburgh inched them a bit closer. He allowed just four hits, struck out seven, and needed just 97 pitches as he cruised through the Pirates’ lineup. If the Phillies make the playoffs, they’ll need four starters, but only three will be guaranteed a game.
Suárez has easily positioned himself as one of the team’s top three pitchers. Suarez has pitched at least six innings in four straight starts and has a 1.75 ERA in 11 starts since moving to the rotation.
The win pushed the Phillies to a season-high seven games above .500 and moved their run differential positive for the first time since April 12. And it guarantees that the Phillies will control their fate when they open a three-game series on Tuesday in Atlanta. The Phillies can begin that series no worse than 21/2 games out of first place.
The Phillies placed Archie Bradley on the injured list before the game and knew they would be without Sam Coonrod, who is dealing with a sore thumb. Connor Brogdon is on the injured list, Hector Neris threw 41 pitches on Friday, and Jose Alvarado had pitched in three of the previous four games. Five of the relievers — Cam Bedrosian, Ramon Rosso, newcomer Kyle Dohy, Adonis Medina and Cristopher Sanchez — have spent most of the season in the minors.
With a week to go, the relievers are running on fumes with a bullpen game looming on Sunday. They needed a rest and Suárez gave them nine innings off.
Another Harper homer
Fans in right field held letters to spell out “M-V-P” during Bryce Harper’s at-bats and it’s almost starting to feel like they’re celebrating Harper’s MVP award in South Philly rather than campaigning for him to win it. And it’s hard to blame them.
Harper’s homer in the third was his 34th of the season and his franchise-record 46th extra-base hit in the second half. Since the first All-Star Game in 1933, only six other players — Lou Gehrig, Harlond Clift, Jimmie Foxx, Hank Greenberg, Barry Bonds, and Ryan Howard — have 45-extra base hits and 60 walks in the second half. Harper needs just four more extra-base hits to join Barry Bonds, Albert Pujols, Sammy Sosa, and Todd Helton as the only players since 2000 to have 50 extra-base hits in the second half. He willed the Phillies into playoff contention and could carry them into October.
He leads the majors in OPS and leads the National League in Wins Above Replacement, and is on pace to become the fourth Phillies player to hit .300 with a .400 on-base percentage and .600 slugging percentage. The Phillies have now won 16 of their last 20 games when Harper has a chance with a runner in scoring position. They are playing .702 ball since July 1 when he has a plate appearance with a runner in scoring position and .367 when he does not.
There’s still a week left in the season, but it’s tough to find a National League player more valuable this season than Harper.
Everyday Vierling
Matt Vierling started in center field and batted leadoff so Odubel Herrera could rest his sore ankle, but the rookie is forcing the Phillies to keep him in the lineup for the season’s final seven games.
He went 2 for 3 and hit his first big league homer in the third inning. Importantly, Vierling’s first two hits came against a right-hander, showing that he can do more than just beat up on left-handed pitching. The Phillies can play Vierling in left, center, and at first base for the final week and perhaps even at third, where he dabbled at Triple-A.
Vierling was not in the team’s plans to start the season as he began the year at Double-A after not being invited last summer to the alternate training site when the pandemic canceled the season. But he played his way to Triple-A and has been a contributor this month. He should end the year as an everyday player.
