Phillies getting best version of Ranger Suárez at right time

PHILADELPHIA — Ranger Suárez hasn’t had this kind of September in a long time.

The Phillies lefty struck out a career-high 12 batters over six innings in a 9-3 win over the New York Mets on Tuesday night at Citizens Bank Park. Half of those 12 strikeouts came against Juan Soto and Pete Alonso. Suárez now has five career double-digit strikeout games. Three of those have come since the start of August. 

“He was in the strike zone when he needed to be and he was out of the strike zone when he needed to be,” manager Rob Thomson said postgame. “Masterful, really.” 

Through two September starts, Suárez has kept a pair of potential National League playoff teams, the Mets and Milwaukee Brewers, scoreless across 12 innings. His next start will come against a third NL playoff team, the Los Angeles Dodgers.

“I want to finish this season as strong as I can,” Suárez said through a team interpreter. “We all know that I’ve had issues in the second half for the past few years.” 

Philadelphia is getting the best version of Suárez at the right time. He has struggled in the final month of the regular season since 2022. His ERA over the last three Septembers is 5.18. He was not 100% coming off the injured list with a back injury last year after a superb first half of the season that earned him his first All-Star nod. He entered the 2024 postseason as an unknown. Suárez gave his team a gusty 4 1/3 innings in an NLDS Game 4 loss against the Mets.

The Phillies can — and should — expect a lot more out of him this year. Cristopher Sánchez is lined up to be the team’s Game 1 starter in the playoffs. Suárez, who has a 2.77 ERA over 143 innings, has pitched like a Game 2 starter.

After a scoreless sixth inning on Tuesday, Suárez walked off the mound to a warm ovation from the home crowd. He tipped his hat to salute the fans. Suárez, who has started 116 games in eight seasons with the Phillies, is lined up to have just one more start at home before the postseason. He will be a free agent at the end of the year and could be on his way out. For now, all sides will savor what is left.

“It always feels great when you have a fanbase that gives you 100% support every time that you’re out there,” Suárez said. 

Suárez wasn’t the only Phillies pending free agent to put on a show. Kyle Schwarber hit his 50th home run, a three-run shot in the seventh to expand the Phillies’ lead from 4-1 to 7-1.

The Phillies are nine up on the Mets in the division with 17 games left to play.