How Phillies Ranger Suarez is unbeatable vs Diamondbacks. NLCS Game 3 lineups

If there’s one thing that has stood out about Phillies manager Rob Thomson during the postseason, it’s his willingness to use his closer and the entire bullpen at any point in the game. This has been especially evident when Ranger Suarez is on the mound.

Expect the unexpected as Suarez takes the mound on Thursday as the starting pitcher for the Phillies in Game 3 of the NLCS against the Diamondbacks.

We got a taste of this strategy in Game 1 of the NLDS against the Atlanta Braves. Suarez was pulled after 3 2/3 innings, and Thomson summoned late-inning relievers Jeff Hoffman, Seranthony Dominguez, and Jose Alvarado to navigate the middle innings.

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Suarez once again took the mound as the starter in Game 4, where he pitched five innings. Thomson took it a step further by bringing in his closer, Craig Kimbrel, in the seventh inning with two runners on base, even after using Dominguez and Alvarado earlier in the game.

Kimbrel was able to escape the jam and proceeded to record the first two outs of the eighth inning. The Phillies then turned to Gregory Soto and Matt Strahm to close out the 3-1 victory and secure their spot in the NLCS.

“I used to have a more traditional approach where you have a designated seventh, eighth, and ninth inning guy,” Thomson explained before Game 3. “But I’ve come around to this strategy, and it worked well for us last year when we mixed and matched our bullpen.”

This unconventional approach is aided by the fact that Dominguez, Soto, and Alvarado have all had experience closing games, either with the Phillies or their previous teams. Strahm, on the other hand, has not.

“We have guys who have felt the pressure of the ninth inning,” Thomson added. “I feel comfortable with almost anyone.”

Craig Kimbrel’s versatility extends beyond the 9th inning

Kimbrel, who closed out Game 1 of the NLCS, expressed his willingness to adapt to this approach. As a 35-year-old veteran, Kimbrel ranks second among active relievers with 417 saves. However, he has never had the opportunity to close out a World Series-clinching game. In 2018, when the Red Sox won the World Series in five games, Kimbrel was the closer but starter Chris Sale pitched the ninth inning in the clincher.

“It would be amazing and truly special,” Kimbrel said about potentially getting that opportunity. “But I understand that my role to be valuable and effective could come at any point during the game.

“Whether it’s the last out or a different situation, I’ll do my job and be just as satisfied.”

Ranger Suarez shines in the postseason

Suarez may not throw as hard as Zack Wheeler or have the same durability as Aaron Nola, but he has been unbeatable for the Phillies in the postseason. In two seasons, the Phillies are 7-0 in games started by Suarez, and he boasts a 3-0 individual record. Suarez has maintained an impressive 1.16 ERA in these seven games, including five starts.

This season, Suarez boasts a 1-0 record in two postseason starts. He has surrendered only 1 run on 4 hits and has recorded 6 strikeouts in 8 2/3 innings, resulting in a stellar 1.04 ERA.

These numbers do not align with Suarez’s regular-season performance in 2023, where he went 4-6 with a 4.18 ERA in 22 starts. Suarez had two stints on the injured list

Reference