Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Ranger Suarez will be sitting out his scheduled start on Sunday against the Washington Nationals due to a sore hamstring. Manager Rob Thomson revealed that the Venezuelan lefty experienced stiffness after a pregame workout in the outfield during the recent series against the Toronto Blue Jays. The exact cause of the injury is unknown, but Thomson added that they will re-evaluate Suarez’s condition the following day.
Suarez has had a mixed season with a record of 2-6 and a 3.88 ERA in 17 starts. Taking his place on the mound for the Little League Classic game on Sunday in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, will be right-hander Zack Wheeler, who will be pitching on regular rest. Aaron Nola is set to start on Monday when the Phillies return home to face the San Francisco Giants.
While Thomson expressed some concern about Suarez’s injury, he remains optimistic that it won’t be a long-term problem. He suggested that the discomfort may be due to the grass on the field, which can sometimes be hard on players’ legs. More updates on Suarez’s condition are expected in the coming days.