Ranger Suárez struggles with velocity and command in Phillies' 6-1 loss to Reds

Lochlahn March, The Philadelphia Inquirer on Aug 12, 2025

Published in Baseball

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CINCINNATI — Ranger Suárez lifted his arms in exasperation, looking toward home plate umpire Willie Traynor.

TJ Friedl sent a line drive up the middle to load the bases for the Cincinnati Reds in the sixth inning. Though the Phillies left-hander is normally known for his nonchalance, it was clear Suárez’s frustration had been building all inning.

He’d already given up two runs in the inning before Friedl came to the plate. A pair of four-seam fastballs over the outside edge of the plate were both called balls, extending Friedl’s at-bat until he connected with a sinker.

The single ended Suárez’s night. Joe Ross allowed an inherited run to score on a deep flyout to the warning track for a sacrifice fly, upping Suárez’s total to six earned runs in the 6-1 loss to Cincinnati.

It can’t all be blamed on the officiating, however. Phillies manager Rob Thomson has brushed off concerns about Suárez’s lowered velocity this season due to his pinpoint command. But on Tuesday, he struggled with both.

All six pitches in Suárez’s arsenal were slower than normal. He averaged 89.6 mph on his sinker and 90.3 mph on his four-seam. He left too many pitches over the plate, and the Reds knocked him around for a season-high 10 hits.

He allowed two runs in the third inning on three hits. The Reds added another in the fourth with a solo home run from Miguel Andújar, before running up the score in the sixth on a walk, a double and three consecutive singles.

For the third game in a row, the Phillies offense was dominated by an opposing pitcher early. But this time, they did not heat up late.

On Sunday, Rangers starter Patrick Corbin took a no-hitter into the fourth inning. On Monday, Reds starter Andrew Abbott had a perfect game until the fifth.

On Tuesday, Brady Singer matched his Cincinnati teammate by retiring the first 12 Phillies he faced. Nick Castellanos finally broke up the perfect game in the fifth with a single that deflected off Elly De La Cruz’s glove, ending his 0-for-21 skid.

The Phillies’ best chance of getting on the board against Singer came in the top of the sixth, when the game was still close. Catcher Rafael Marchán singled and advanced to third on a double from Trea Turner, but Kyle Schwarber grounded out to strand both.

A 28-minute rain delay interrupted the sixth and seventh innings, and the Phillies and Reds played the final three frames through rain and intermittent lightning flashes.

With the Phillies down to their final out in the ninth, Bryce Harper spoiled the shutout with a home run he crushed to right field.