Will Ranger Suarez Fill the Void in the Phillies Rotation Following Zack Wheeler's Injury?

Following a season-ending blow to their ace, Ranger Suarez and his fellow Phillies pitchers have stepped up to keep the team on track

Aug 12, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Ranger Suarez (55) tosses a ball during a stop in play in the sixth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

If his recent outings are any indication, Ranger Suarez is pitching like it's already the postseason. In his last two starts, he's been downright dominant, getting another win on Sunday over the Washington Nationals,

Suarez (10-6) surrendered just three hits and issued no walks in the win. It was his second consecutive game with double-digit strikeouts, after racking up 10 Ks against the Seattle Mariners last week. He's posted 21 strikeouts and zero walks over his past two starts while allowing only two runs over 13 2/3 innings.

For Suarez to stay hot right now would be a huge relief to the team, considering they just lost one of the best pitchers in the game for the remainder of the season. The ace of the staff, Zack Wheeler, recently underwent surgery to remove a blood clot on August 18, but further procedures need to be done. That will keep the righthander sidelined until 2026.

While nothing is set in stone, it's almost certain that the club is counting on their other veterans, like Suarez and Aaron Nola, to step up and fill the void left by Wheeler's absence.

Suarez and the Phillies will Attempt to Knock Out New York

Jun 7, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Ranger Suarez (55) delivers a pitch against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the first inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

While Suarez won't start during this week's series with the second-place New York Mets, he's certainly given his team a lot of momentum as they prepare for a three-game set in Gotham.

Philadelphia (76-54) is currently seven games ahead of New York (69-61) at the top of the National League East as they get set for a showdown at Citi Field. The seven-game lead equals the Phillies’ largest of the season. So, these three games could put the Mets back in the race, but a Philly sweep would put them in a pretty comfortable position with just a month left in the regular season.

“Every time we walk out of the clubhouse, it's kind of the same mindset -- nothing is ever changing,” Philadelphia designated hitter and NL MVP candidate Kyle Schwarber said. “It doesn't matter [if it’s a] home, road, exhibition game -- we're going there with the same mindset. We know what they're capable of. We know they're a good team.”