'It's normal to worry': Suárez searching for answers

ATLANTA -- Ranger Suárez is likely going to make his first National League All-Star team on Sunday.

It would be surprising if he didn’t.

But Suárez shook his head late Saturday night when asked about his All-Star chances following a 5-1 loss to the Braves at Truist Park. Suárez allowed five runs in five innings against Atlanta, continuing his recent struggles. He allowed six runs in 4 2/3 innings in his last start against Miami. He allowed four runs in six innings the start before against Detroit.

“After these couple of outings, I don’t think so much [about the All-Star team] right now,” Suárez said via team interpreter Diego D'Aniello. “Whatever happens, I’ll just take it. My main focus this year is to stay healthy throughout the season. I’ve been doing it. I just want to stay healthy all year and help my team win. We have our goals set. I just want to do that.”

Suárez had a 1.75 ERA in 15 starts through June 25, allowing 21 runs (18 earned) in 92 1/3 innings. But he has a 7.47 ERA in his past three starts, allowing 15 runs (13 earned runs) in 15 2/3 innings.

He has a 10.24 ERA in his past two.

Suárez said he doesn’t have dead arm. He said he isn’t tired, although his velocity is down a tick.

“I don’t think it’s that,” Suárez said. “I pitched three or four bad pitches today and they hit them and scored. I feel healthy. I think that’s important right now.”

Still, he could not hide his frustration on Saturday.

“When you have bad outings, it’s normal to worry about your performance,” he said. “That’s what happened today. I think that’s normal. I’ve had three bad outings in a row and I start to worry a little bit about it -- more about the team. More about the team’s performance when I’m pitching.”

Suárez, who has a 2.58 ERA for the season, allowed a leadoff double to Jarred Kelenic in the first inning. Ozzie Albies hit an inside cutter to the right of second base for a single to score Kelenic. Suárez struck out Austin Riley and Matt Olson looking on fastballs, but Marcell Ozuna reached down and golfed a first-pitch curveball below the zone to center field for a two-run homer to make it 3-0.

Kelenic hit a leadoff single in the fifth and scored on Albies’ two-run homer on a cutter over the middle to make it 5-1.

“That’s one of those pitches that I didn’t want to hang,” Suárez said.

Maybe something is up then. Maybe not.

Suárez is in unchartered territory. He has thrown 108 innings with one more start coming before the All-Star break. The 28-year-old has never thrown more than 84 innings before the All-Star break. He threw 62 in 2023, 84 in '22 and 35 in '21.

“I think there’s probably a little bit of fatigue, sure,” manager Rob Thomson said. “I think there is with all our guys. But I don’t think it’s a concern. None of the numbers that we measure are really jumping out at us.”

The Phillies would love to see Suárez make 30-plus starts and reach 200 innings this year. But they have options if they feel they need to back off. There are stretches in the second half where they could deploy a six-man rotation. They have used one in the past.

“We’ve got the All-Star break that we can play with, too,” Thomson said. “That’s going to be really good for us.”

Or maybe it’s just a few bad starts. Every pitcher has them. Sometimes they even happen in a row, even for potential All-Stars like Suárez.

“That’s what I’m chalking it up to,” Thomson said. “It’s really about control and command with him. First-pitch strikes were down. Strike-to-ball ratio was down a little bit. You take the first inning -- those three were all pretty good pitches, really. I think it all comes down to him attacking hitters and getting ahead.”

Suárez’s next start will most likely be Friday against the A’s at Citizens Bank Park.

“It’s just pitch location,” he said.