Rangers: Suarez has thrown 52 more innings than he did to this point last season, so it wouldn’t be too surprising if he was feeling fatigued before the All-Star break.
Suarez struck out the Oakland Athletics on just 15 pitches through the first two innings on Friday night, then struggled through the third and fifth innings. He threw 32 pitches in the third inning, which started with two outs and no runners on base, and gave up another run before loading the bases for a second time in the fifth.
The Phillies lost 6-2 to the Athletics, who had lost 25 of their previous 29 road games.
Suarez enters the resting position with a 2.76 ERA after giving up 15 runs in 14 2/3 innings over his past three starts. The average velocity of his sinker on Friday night was a career-low 90.0 mph. He has struggled to position the ball and, after not missing an at-bat in his past three starts, struggled at times to get to the plate on Friday night.
He rejected the idea that he was tired after his past two starts.
“No, I’ve been working on this all offseason, working towards the goal of playing a full season,” Suarez said. “I knew I was going to pitch a lot of innings this season and I’m ready for it. I feel good.”
“I just want to be sharp on the mound. I’ve been hoping to be sharp on the mound the last few times I’ve pitched, but I’ve got to put that aside. I think I can do better and put the team in a better position.”
Suarez, like the rest of the Phillies, will need next week off, but that time will likely be shorter because he is an All-Star and could pitch in a game.
“I think the time off is going to be good, I think it’s going to be good for everybody really,” manager Rob Thomson said. “His velocity is down a little bit, but it’s not too bad and he can still throw it.”
Phillies trade candidate Brent Rooker went 2-for-5 with two singles, one RBI and three strikeouts in Oakland. His batting average of .281 and OPS of .897 fit the Phillies’ search for a right-handed power hitter. Rooker has occasionally played left field but was the designated hitter on Friday. It’s worth noting that he hasn’t played defense in 35 games since May 30.
The Athletics started left-hander Hogan Harris, and the Phillies had the immortal pitcher on the ropes in the first two innings, but he just couldn’t get the ball to drop. Harris walked five of the first 10 batters he faced and only scored one.
It wasn’t going to be the Phillies’ night when Trea Turner advanced to second base and Bryce Harper smacked a liner off Athletics first baseman Armando Alvarez for a double play to end the fifth inning. Turner was ejected in the bottom of the eighth after disputing a strikeout call. The Phillies had struck out four times up to that point, all on missed attempts, and all four players (Alec Bohm, Nick Castellanos, Kyle Schwarber and Turner) had been arguing with home plate umpire David Rackley.
The Athletics are currently 35-61 and the Phillies, who are 61-33, are the team they can beat, but the series isn’t off to a great start after a loss on Friday with Tyler Phillips making his first career start on Saturday and a relief appearance on Sunday.
Zack Wheeler was due to be in the starting rotation for the final game before the break, but the Phillies will have Wheeler out due to back spasms. The team isn’t concerned about Wheeler’s injury, but manager Thompson said Friday afternoon that Wheeler will likely start the second series after the break instead of the first. Thompson said the Phillies may hold off on making Suarez’s first start of the second half until after the end of the rotation’s first cycle.
