The Phillies have been patiently waiting for Ranger Suarez to make his return from injury.

Phillies Rob Thompson with emoji eyes in his eyes looking at Ranger SuarezBefore suffering a a back injury, Ranger Suarez performed like the best pitcher in the Philadelphia Phillies’ rotation. With the Phillies in the midst of a slump, Suarez is nearing his much anticipated return.

The left-hander threw a two inning simulated game on Tuesday, via MLB.com. Manager Rob Thompson said that Suarez simply, “looked good,” during the outing. He hit the low 90s with his fastball while showing strong precision on his off speed pitches. Suarez is scheduled to pitch again on Aug. 18 in either another simulated game or in a rehab appearance at Triple-A. Thompson confirmed that when Suarez does make his return, the Phillies will transition into a six man rotation.

He has been out since July 27, diagnosed with lower back soreness. He was able to throw his first bullpen session on Aug. 5 before throwing another on Aug. 8. Now facing live hitters, Suarez has shown steady progress in his return from injury.

His next outing will be extremely telling in how the Phillies plan to bring him back. If he looks strong and comes out of the start healthy, perhaps Philadelphia immediately jettisons him back to MLB. But if he struggles or his back isn’t fully 100 percent, they could give him another minor league practice run. Regardless of their decision – and barring a setback – Suarez seems likely to soon make his return to the Phillies.

It’ll be a massive boon for Philly’s rotation and their entire roster. Over his 20 starts in 2024, Ranger Suarez holds a 10-5 record with a 2.87 ERA and a 116/27 K/BB ratio. His efforts earned him the first All-Star Game nomination in his seven year career.

The Phillies hold a six game lead over the competition in the NL East. But as they look to lock up their playoff position, Suarez’s return will give Philadelphia their ace back and a newfound life in their rotation.

State of Phillies’ pitching rotation

Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Ranger Suarez (55) throws a pitch against the Oakland Athletics in the first inning at Citizens Bank Park.Kyle Ross-USA TODAY Sports
While Suarez has been impressive, he isn’t the only pitcher dominating for the Phillies in 2024. Philadelphia are tied for second in the league with their 3.73 ERA. Their 1,062 strikeouts are seventh-most while their .237 batting average against is tied for 10th.

Zack Wheeler leads the team in ERA (2.78) amongst pitchers with 20+ starts. He has added an 11-5 record and a 156/43 K/BB ratio. Aaron Nola is right behind him with a 11-6 record, 3.60 ERA and 138/37 K/BB ratio.

Like Suarez, Christopher Sanchez earned the first All-Star nomination of his career in 2024. He holds an 8-8 record with a 104/34 K/BB ratio. Spencer Turnbull is currently on the injured list, but when healthy, has pitched to a 3-0 record with a 2.65 ERA and a 58/20 K/BB ratio.

If everyone is healthy, the Phillies will have one of the scariest rotations entering the postseason. Getting Ranger Suarez back into the rotation just gives Philly another spark and a pitcher capable of leading the team on a deep playoff run.