Phillies Starter Ranger Suárez Hits the IL

Six-man rotation? Not anymore.  After the Phillies added new starter Michael Lorenzen, the plan was to give the other starting pitchers some rest in hopes of good health down the stretch.  Just a couple weeks into that plan, one of the core Phillies starters is hitting the injured list.

The Phillies announced that left-handed pitcher Ranger Suárez was placed on the 15-day injured list with a right hamstring strain.  The move is retroactive to August 16.

On Phillies.com, manager Rob Thomson indicated that the timeline was uncertain:

“We don’t know how long it’s going to be, but we’ll re-evaluate tomorrow,” manager Rob Thomson said on Friday. “It happened in Toronto. The day he got sore, he was shagging and looked normal, and [he] said he went in the shower and it started stiffening up. … A lot of times your legs get aggravated on that turf, so I’m hoping that’s all it was.”

Suarez would have started Sunday evening in Williamsport, where he once took the mound as a member of the Williamsport Crosscutters.

It is unclear if Zach Wheeler would start on Sunday instead.  He last pitched Tuesday in Toronto.  A Sunday start would be a normal four days rest for Wheeler.  Nola would be on normal rest to start on Tuesday.  Then Wednesday the Phillies could start Lorenzen on normal rest.  Cristopher Sanchez would be on normal rest for Thursday after pitching tonight in Washington.

Taijuan Walker has taken a pitching hiatus and can be re-inserted into the rotation between now and Friday, when the Phillies will need another starter for sure.

Replacing Suárez on the roster will be right-handed reliever Andrew Bellatti.  Bellatti has a 2.86 ERA in 25 appearances at Triple-A this season, but has allowed five earned runs over his last six appearances for the IronPigs.  Bellatti will return the bullpen to eight after being at seven to accommodate the sixth starting pitcher.