Ranger Suarez was supposed to get a homecoming in Philadelphia. Instead, the former Phillies left-hander will watch the All-Star Game from the sidelines.
Suarez, now with the Boston Red Sox, had been selected for this year’s Midsummer Classic at Citizens Bank Park, where he spent the first eight seasons of his MLB career. But that return won’t happen after he was placed on the 15-day injured list Thursday with a left groin strain, which means he will miss next week’s All-Star Game, per ESPN.
The timing stings because this year’s showcase is being staged in the same ballpark where Suarez became a trusted arm and a fan favorite. Philadelphia signed him in 2012 as an international free agent when he was still a teenager, and he worked his way through the organization before making his big-league debut in 2018.
Once he arrived, Suarez didn’t take long to win over a tough crowd. Phillies fans latched onto his steady presence and team-first style, and the nicknames followed: “Mr. Rager,” “The Cooler,” and, for some, “The Calmest Man in South Philly.”
His most memorable Phillies moment may have come in Game 5 of the 2022 National League Championship Series against the San Diego Padres. With Philadelphia up 3-1 in the series and trying to finish the job at home, Bryce Harper’s two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth gave the Phillies the lead. Then Suarez came out of the bullpen in the ninth after closer David Robertson issued two walks.
Suarez retired Trent Grisham after a bunt, and with San Diego still threatening from second and third, he got Austin Nola to pop up and end the game. That out sent Philadelphia to the World Series.
This season, Suarez has posted a 3.15 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP over 17 starts, including a strong outing against his former team. But for now, the reunion at Citizens Bank Park will have to wait until at least next season.
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