Ranger Suarez' return, Taijuan Walker's struggles and more Phillies pitching notes
Ranger Suarez might be back with Phillies by late next week originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers' offense is heating up and challenged Matt Strahm Tuesday night in his worst start of the young season.
Strahm entered with a 2.79 ERA and had struck out 32 in 23⅓ innings while allowing only 12 hits. The Dodgers scored in three of four innings against him and he was lifted after 3⅓ innings and 73 laborious pitches in a 13-1 loss.
The Dodgers have ripped Phillies pitching in the first two games of the series, both non-competitive Phillies losses. Strahm, Taijuan Walker, Gregory Soto and Craig Kimbrel have all been hit around.
Strahm has been "heaven-sent," for the Phillies' rotation, in the words of manager Rob Thomson. But with Ranger Suarez (elbow) returning soon, Strahm will shift back to the bullpen as a Swiss army knife capable of pitching multiple innings and at the back end of games in addition to lefty-lefty matchups.
Suarez made his second rehab start Tuesday with Triple A Lehigh Valley. Rain shortened his outing but he finished in the bullpen, throwing 54 pitches in total. Initially, the Phillies planned to give Suarez four rehab starts, which would mean two more, but that plan could be changing.
Thomson said Wednesday morning that Suarez might require only one more rehab start, which comes this Sunday with Triple A Lehigh Valley. He will increase to 70-75 pitches and could be back with the Phillies late next week when they go to Colorado and San Francisco.
Nothing is set in stone, but if Suarez comes out of that start OK, he will likely rejoin the Phillies. The change in plans probably has something to do with the struggles of Bailey Falter (0-5, 5.01 ERA) and Taijuan Walker (6.91 ERA, 5.3 BB/9).
Many Phillies fans have questioned why it will be Strahm and not Falter losing his rotation spot and there are two major reasons why.
For one, it would be irresponsible for any team to triple the workload of a reliever thrust into starting duty. Strahm pitched 45 innings last year, and though he had his first healthy offseason since prior to tearing his patellar tendon in 2017, a lot could go wrong if that number jumps by 80.
Beyond that, it has to be viewed through the totality of the pitching staff, not just the starting rotation. Strahm has the skill set and stamina to help the bullpen in multiple roles. If Falter lost his rotation spot, he'd either go to Triple A to start or be the Phillies' long reliever, which doesn't provide nearly as much value. And the idea is that Suarez, who has a 2.91 ERA in 41 starts the last two seasons, can replicate or exceed Strahm's production as a five-inning starter.
More pitching news
• Walker was pounded by the Dodgers for eight runs in Monday's series-opening loss but did not blame the struggles on the forearm tightness he felt in his previous start.
Walker has walked multiple batters in all six starts as a Phillie and 17 total in just 28⅔ innings. He's attributed it to "getting too cute," falling behind in too many counts and not trusting his stuff in the strike zone.
Walker has a 6.91 ERA and 1.61 WHIP. The Phillies are 3-3 in his starts.
• Reliever Andrew Bellatti, a key piece of the 2022 Phillies' bullpen who struggled the first three weeks this season before landing on the IL on April 21 with right triceps tendinitis, threw batting practice Tuesday.
"He threw very well, 25 pitches, 21 strikes," Thomsons said. "He'll throw in Clearwater Friday and Sunday and then will go to Lehigh for a rehab assignment. So he's doing well."
• Nick Nelson (hamstring) didn't allow an earned run over five innings Tuesday with Double A Reading, striking out six. He will pitch again Sunday. It sounds like he could be optioned to Triple A to continue to start once his rehab assignment ends on May 18, giving the Phillies rotation depth in case of injury.
