One of the keys to a baseball team’s success is to keep its lineup as healthy and competitive as possible during the MLB season.
The Philadelphia Phillies experienced hardship from the beginning of the 2023 season. With superstar Bryce Harper out for the season due to Tommy John surgery, first baseman Rhys Hoskins sustained a season-ending injury on a routine play during spring training, putting the Phillies in a difficult situation right away.
However, despite some bumps and glitches along the way, the Phillies were able to make it through the first half of the season. Things began to look better when Harper returned from his severe injury ahead of schedule. In doing so, the Phillies gradually gathered momentum for the remainder of the season, eventually making the playoffs.
Of course, some members of the team suffered injuries along the way, but the Phillies overcame those challenges as well to make the 2023 season a success overall.
So, with a new season starting in 2024, which players could pose the most health risks for the Phillies in their quest to make the playoffs for the third year in a row? Here are three critical Phillies players whose health could determine the team’s success or failure this season.
Ranger Suarez
Ranger Suárez, a left-handed pitcher, has emerged as one of the Phillies’ most fascinating and promising prospects in recent years. Since transitioning from reliever to starter in 2021, he hasn’t looked back, and he has yet to relinquish that position in the last few seasons. In 2022, he reached career highs in wins (10), innings pitched (155 1/3), and strikeouts (129) and became a key cog in the starting rotation, making 29 starts.
However, Suárez had a series of untimely injuries throughout the 2023 season. A left elbow injury soon before the start of the season sidelined him until mid-May, and later in the summer, a right hamstring ailment forced him to miss critical games down the stretch. However, Suárez returned just in time to prove his worth in the postseason, going 1-1 with a 1.93 ERA and 0.80 WHIP, 19 strikeouts in only 18 2/3 innings thrown.
With the Phillies keeping their 2023 starting rotation intact after re-signing Aaron Nola this offseason, Suárez must perform at his peak to benefit the team the most. He’ll need to stay as healthy as possible in 2024 to anchor the back half of the rotation and give the Phillies the best chance of winning the championship. After all, he is their hidden weapon during the playoffs.
