Ranger Suarez has played 52 more innings than he did by this date last season, so it should come as no surprise that he’s feeling fatigued ahead of the All-Star break.
Suarez finished his game with the Oakland Athletics after striking out just 15 times through the first two innings on Friday before struggling in the third and fifth. He struck out 32 in a third that began with two outs and no outs, then allowed one more run and loaded the bases for the second time in the fifth.
Philadelphia lost 6-2 to the Oakland Athletics, who have lost 25 of their last 29 away games.
Suarez enters the shutdown with a 2.76 ERA after allowing 15 earned runs in 14⅔ innings over his last three starts. His batting average on Friday night was a career-low 90.0 mph. He had trouble locating strikes, not missing at-bats in his last three starts, and at times had trouble getting to the plate on Friday night.
After his last two starts, he has successfully denied the idea that he is feeling tired.
“No, I worked for this during the interseason, I worked towards my goal of playing a full season,” Suarez said. “I knew I would play a lot of roles this season and I am ready for that. I feel good.
“I’m just trying to be more focused on the mound. I’ve been trying to be more focused on the mound the last few games, and I’ve got to let that go. I think I’ll be better at doing that and the team will be in a much better position.”
Suarez needs as much rest next week as any Philadelphia player, though it will be shorter for him because he was named to the All-Star team and could play in the game.
“I think the break will be good, I think it will be good for everyone, really,” said manager Rob Thompson. “His speed is down a bit but not too bad and he can still play with that speed.”
Brent Rucker, a potential trade target for Philadelphia, hit 2-of-5 with two singles, an RBI and three strikeouts for Oakland. He has a .281 batting average with an .897 OPS and would fit the description of a right-handed power hitter that Philadelphia could use. Rucker can pitch in left field at times but was the designated hitter Friday and has not played in the outfield in 35 games since May 30.
Oakland started with lefty Hogan Harris, and Philadelphia had the immortal pitcher on the ropes in each of the first two innings, but couldn’t get his leg down. Harris allowed five of the first ten batters he faced to walk, and only one of them scored.
You could tell Philadelphia wasn’t having a good night when Trea Turner took off to second base and Bryce Harper hit a hard bunt directly to first baseman Armando Alvarez for a double in the bottom of the fifth inning. Turner was ejected in the bottom of the eighth inning after he objected to a third strike. Philadelphia had been out of the game four times by that point, and all four players (Alec Bohm, Nick Castellanos, Kyle Schwarber and Turner) were on home base umpire David Rackley.
The A’s are 35-61, and the Phillies, at 61-33, should be able to beat them, but the series didn’t start great with a loss on Friday before Tyler Phillips’ first career start on Saturday and a potential game in the relief bullpen on Sunday.
The last game before the break would have been Zack Wheeler’s turn in the starting lineup, but Philadelphia will hold him out with back spasms. The team is not concerned about Wheeler’s injury, but Thompson said Friday afternoon that he will likely start the second half of the break instead of the first. Thompson said Philadelphia may also hold off on Suarez’s first start in the second half until the end of the first cycle through the starting lineup.
