Philadelphia Phillies' LHP Ranger Suárez to begin 2025 season on injured list, Rob Thomson says
Philadelphia Phillies left-handed pitcher Ranger Suárez will begin the regular season on the injured list, manager Rob Thomson said on the TV broadcast of the team's game against the Detroit Tigers on Sunday.
Suárez, an All-Star for the first time in the 2024 season, suffered a back injury last week in spring training. Thomson said that Taijuan Walker will be the fifth starter in the Phillies' rotation to start the regular season with Suarez missing time.
The injury comes as Suarez, 29, is entering a contract year with the Phillies.
Suárez has also had a history of back issues in his career.
Last season, Suárez got off to a hot start but a back injury in the second-half of the season ruined his chances of winning a Cy Young. Suárez entered the All-Star break last season with a 2.76 ERA, but that jumped to 5.65 in the second half of the 2024 season. He also had a back injury in the 2022 season that landed him on the IL.
Walker is entering the third year of a four-year, $72 million deal with the Phillies. The right-hander struggled in the 2024 season and was eventually removed from the team's starting rotation.
With ace Zack Wheeler on the mound, the Phillies will begin the regular season on Thursday on the road against the Washington Nationals.
Phillies claim Carlos Hernández
The Phillies added an arm to their bullpen on Sunday. The team claimed right-handed pitcher Carlos Hernández off waiver from the Kansas City Royals, Phillies President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski announced. Tyler Phillips, a South Jersey native, was designated for assignment to make room on the Phillies' roster.
Hernández, 28, has spent his entire career with the Royals since the team signed him as an international free agent in 2016. He made his first appearance in the majors in the 2021 season. Hernández had eight appearances for the Royals in spring training and pitched 10.1 total innings.
Hernández has gone 7-19 with a 4.95 ERA in 150 MLB games, including 25 starts. He also has 226 strikeouts. In 2024, he appeared in 27 games, made four stints and posted a 3.30 ERA.
Hernández's 97.8 mph average fastball velocity ranks fourth behind Cincinnati's Hunter Greene, Miami's Sandy Alcantara and New York Mets' Ryne Stanek among 128 MLB pitchers who have thrown at least 2,000 four-seam fastballs between 2021-24.
