The Philadelphia Phillies just received devastating injury news about one of its senior pitchers, just days before Opening Day 2025.
The Philadelphia Phillies will begin a three-game series against the Washington Nationals on Thursday, marking the start of the 2025 Major League Baseball season. Unfortunately, a few injuries will keep some Phillies fan favorites from playing in the season opener, including a seasoned pitcher who is now slated to start the year on the injured list.
Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski announced that starting pitcher Ranger Suarez will start the 2025 season on the injured list (IL) due to a back injury. The team expects the left-hander to return “sometime in April.”
“You’re talking three weeks or something at least,” Dombrowski told MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki.
With Suarez sidelined, the Phillies confirmed that Taijuan Walker will step in as the No. 5 starter in the rotation.
Suarez has been dealing with back tightness for the past three weeks. Despite expressing optimism about his Opening Day availability, saying he felt “better now,” the Phillies’ medical staff ultimately decided to prioritize caution.
Sometimes, teams must protect players from pushing themselves too hard. Ensuring Suarez is fully healthy before he returns could prevent a more severe setback. Taking a patient approach may benefit both the player and the team in the long run.
Suarez is coming off a breakout 2024 season where he earned his first All-Star nod, posting a career-best 12 wins, a 3.46 ERA, a 1.201 WHIP, and 145 strikeouts over 150 2/3 innings in 27 starts. He continued to impress this spring, logging a 1.80 ERA with four strikeouts in five innings across two appearances.
Staying consistent throughout the 2025 campaign could be key for Suarez, who is set to hit free agency next offseason. Earlier this month, he expressed his desire to remain in Philadelphia.
“I don’t want to think about leaving (Philadelphia) ever,” Suarez shared. “I want to keep believing that I’m going to stay here for a long time. That’s all I want.”
For the Phillies to secure back-to-back NL East titles for the first time in over a decade, keeping Suarez and the rest of the pitching staff healthy will be crucial. As the season begins, Rob Thompson’s squad holds the second-best NL East odds (+195) on FanDuel Sportsbook, trailing only the rival Atlanta Braves (+125).