Ranger Suárez's 11 strikeouts powers Phillies past Nationals, 3-2

Gabriela Carroll, The Philadelphia Inquirer on Aug 24, 2025

Published in Baseball

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

PHILADELPHIA — The Phillies’ rotation is still as strong as ever, even without ace Zack Wheeler.

Ranger Suárez is just the latest Phillies pitcher to dominate since Wheeler’s season-ending injury, cruising through seven innings with a career-high 11 strikeouts. He allowed just three hits and no walks on 90 pitches. Suárez earned a standing ovation from the crowd after exiting the game in the seventh.

Since Wheeler’s injury, the remaining Phillies starting pitchers have been on a mission to prove why they’re still the league’s best starting staff even without the Cy Young contender.

Over his last two starts, Suárez has struck out 21 batters, the first time he’s ever struck out double-digit batters in consecutive starts, and he’s not the only one dominating. Jesús Luzardo and Cristopher Sánchez both recorded 12 strikeouts in their last starts, and Aaron Nola posted his first quality start since May 3 on Saturday.

Suárez used his full arsenal to mow down the Nationals’ lineup on Sunday, getting two strikeouts each with his slider, cutter and curveball, three with his fastball, and one each on the changeup and the sinker.

The Phillies offense did just enough to take advantage of Suárez’s big day thanks to catcher Rafael Marchán, who started the Phillies off with a two-run double in the second inning, bringing home Nick Castellanos and Harrison Bader, who both singled to get on base. In the third inning, Marchán worked a bases loaded walk to get the Phillies up 3-0.

However, the Phillies failed to add to that lead as the game progressed against the National League’s worst bullpen — the Nationals’ relief pitchers have pitched to a 5.66 ERA in 2025 — getting just three runners on base and just one hit, a Bryce Harper sixth-inning double, in the final five innings of the game.

Jose Alvarado, making his second appearance since his return from an 80-game suspension for violating the MLB’s performance-enhancing drugs policy, loaded the bases with no outs in the eighth, putting the Phillies’ offensive struggles into focus.

Tanner Banks replaced him and induced a James Wood double play — allowing just one run to score — and got CJ Abrams to fly out to end the inning. The Phillies turned to Orion Kerkering for the save, giving Jhoan Duran the day off after closing on Friday and Saturday. Kerkering allowed a solo home run to Luis García Jr. to bring the game to 3-2 before securing the Phillies’ win.