MILWAUKEE — With his night complete after five innings, Ranger Suárez grabbed J.T. Realmuto’s catcher’s mask from the grass. The pitcher put it over his head. Then, he held out his left hand so an umpire could inspect him for sticky substances. Suárez, at his best, is a carefree spirit who fills the strike zone and cruises through lineups.
It’s been months since the Phillies have seen that version of Suárez. They are still waiting.
There was good and bad in his five innings during Monday night’s 6-2 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers. The good: Suárez navigated five innings. He missed more bats. He did not permit a ton of hard contact. The bad: He fell behind too many hitters. Two of his three walks came around to score. He stumbled off the mound and twisted his left ankle while jamming his right wrist.
“Actually, after he tumbled on the mound, it looked like his stuff was better,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said. “But he had trouble finishing hitters off tonight.”
Three runs in five innings against a postseason-bound team qualify as progress. But it’s not like it was earlier this season. Suárez only has two more starts in the regular season to convince the Phillies he deserves a longer leash than in previous postseasons. For months, Suárez looked like someone who had taken a step forward.
Now, as October nears, the Phillies are back in a similar position with Suárez. They can trust him once through the opponent’s lineup, then the bullpen has to be on call.
It’s a formula that has worked in the previous two postseasons; the Phillies are 5-2 when Suárez has started. He has not pitched more than 5 1/3 innings in any of his seven playoff starts. He did not throw more than 75 pitches in four starts last October.
Suárez has always asked for a longer postseason leash, believing he can provide more.
“First of all, we have to get there,” Suárez said Monday through a team interpreter. “So I can’t discuss that right now. But, as a pitcher, what you want is to go out and go as long as you can. Throw as many innings as you can for the team. Even in the playoffs, it would be a pleasure as a pitcher to go as long as I could.”
Suárez needed 104 pitches to complete his five innings against the Brewers. He had 16 two-strike counts and only five strikeouts. He had trouble putting away Milwaukee’s hitters.
He retired seven of the first nine batters he faced. Then, Milwaukee scored two runs in the third inning and added another in the fourth. It continued a trend in the five outings since Suárez returned from the injured list. He’s held batters to a .220/.273/.415 line the first time through the lineup. But, when hitters see him a second time, those numbers jump to .350/.413/.450.
“I think the stuff is a little bit down,” Thomson said. “I do. That doesn’t mean it’s not going to come back, and I think it will. Again, it’s like his third rehab start. So I think he’s going to get better and I trust him.”
Thomson has continued to label these as rehab starts for Suárez, who pushed back. “No, I’m not calling it that,” Suárez said. “And I think that there was a reason why I didn’t go on the rehab assignment and it’s because I didn’t need it.” It’s the manager’s way of protecting Suárez while withholding criticism.
Suárez had not thrown 100 pitches in a game since May 26. His 13 swings-and-misses were his most since July 6.
“Obviously, I feel good right now,” Suárez said. “I can’t complain about that. I feel good physically; 104 pitches tonight, so that says a lot right now.”
If Suárez starts Game 4 of the National League Division Series, the Phillies could be aggressive again with their bullpen usage behind him. There would be an off day before a hypothetical Game 5. They are going to lean on their bullpen more this October just as they have in previous Octobers. If the Phillies are less certain about Suárez a second time through an opposing lineup, it could put greater importance on the sixth and seventh relievers — José Ruiz and Tanner Banks — in the current depth chart.
Ruiz has thrown better in the last two months. He has gained trust; Thomson used him in the ninth inning of a tie game over the weekend. Banks, who had not pitched in five days, allowed a run and three stolen bases in his inning Monday night. Teams have stolen nine bases against Banks since he came to the Phillies in a July trade.
“We’ve still got some work to do there,” Thomson said.
Their magic number to clinch the National League East is still five. They are three games ahead of Milwaukee for a first-round bye. The Phillies need to win one of the next two games at American Family Field to secure the tiebreaker, which would effectively add another game to their lead over the Brewers.
It’s important.
They have Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola on the mound in the next two nights. They like their chances whenever that is the case. As the Phillies arrived at the visiting clubhouse Monday afternoon, a few players noticed the rolled-up plastic that had been installed above the lockers and TVs.
But there will be no celebrating a division title here. The earliest the Phillies can clinch is Thursday in New York. It’s a matter of when — not if.
They cannot say the same about Suárez returning to form. If he does, the path is clearer. But that is not guaranteed now.
(Top photo of Ranger Suárez after falling while trying to field a bunt in the fourth inning: Michael McLoone / Imagn Images)
