Robert Suarez Showing Mike Shildt He Can Be Trusted in Late-Game Situations For Padres

Maren Angus-Coombs | Apr 8, 2024

Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

Robert Suarez might be the San Diego Padres new closer.

"He is a guy that has the stuff to pitch at the back end of games," manager Mike Shildt said on March 5. "I love his heartbeat for it. ... He's not going to make it bigger than it is. That's important. The unflappable part's important, and he's got the weapons to go with it. All those things, really, are a nice elixir to be able to go to at the back end of a game and close it down."

Suarez got a five-out save on Wednesday against St. Louis, during which he threw 33 pitches, and he closed out Saturday’s victory over San Francisco by throwing 16 pitches in the ninth inning. Wednesday's outing was the second time this season that Suarez has been called on to get more than three outs. The Padres have made it clear that they don't plan on using him like that all too often.

Last season, 12 pitchers saved at least 30 games. Just seven of them got four outs or more in more than two games and only four times did one of those pitchers work four outs or more twice in five days.

Each time Suarez has been called on to get at least four outs, he has been well-rested. That is what happened on Saturday in a non-save situation.

“He hadn’t pitched in two days, so he’s fresh,” Shildt said. “We were at a part of the lineup where we didn’t want to get anything started. So just wanted to close it down.”

Suarez is coming off a disappointing 2023 season. He missed the entire first half of the season while rehabbing an elbow injury and when he returned, he was suspended for 10 games because he used a foreign substance. When he returned, he posted a 2.38 ERA in 10 appearances.

Through four appearances this season, Suarez has pitched five innings and has three saves. He has only given up one earned run on three hits and three walks with six strikeouts.