MLB Insider Names Phillies Lefty Midseason Cy Young Winner

The out-of-nowhere season of Philadelphia Phillies left-hander Ranger Suárez continues to garner attention.

Jun 25, 2024; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Ranger Suarez (55) pitches in the first inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. / David Reginek-USA TODAY Sports

Perhaps no pitcher in the National League has come out of nowhere with an incredible first half like Philadelphia Phillies left-handed starter Ranger Suárez.

His stellar first half is gaining a lot of notice, including by MLB insider Bob Nightengale of USA Today. In the writer’s Sunday column he handed out midseason awards and he gave his midseason National League Cy Young to the 28-year-old Venezuela native.

Relative to expectations, what Suárez has done this season — on a staff with Cy Young hopefuls Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola — is just incredible.

Entering Sunday’s action he was one of two NL pitchers with at least 10 wins entering July, the other being Atlanta’s Chris Sale. He was 10-2 going into his 17th start of the season against Miami.

Suárez has won 10 games before. He went 10-7 with a 3.65 ERA in 29 starts during the Phillies’ run to the World Series in 2022. He threw a career-high 155.1 innings that season, striking out 129 and walking 58.

He had a rough start on Sunday which resulted in a no-decision after Philadelphia rallied to beat Miami, 7-6. He gave up six earned runs and nine hits in 4.2 innings, with two walks.

After Sunday’s start he remained 10-2, saw his ERA go up 2.27 with 99 strikeouts and 21 walks. It’s likely that he’ll pass his career high of 129 strikeouts, set in 2022, by season’s end.

Expectations were high for Wheeler — who has been a Cy Young finalist before — and Nola, who signed a massive seven-year contract in the offseason. That is part of the reason why Nightengale selected him.

“You know your team is pretty darn good when Suarez’s closest competition for the Cy Young may be his own teammates in Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola,” Nightengale wrote.

Wheeler and Nola have been impressive. Wheeler is 9-4 with a 2.73 ERA after he started the season losing games in which he pitched fantastic but the Phillies were unable to generate offense. Nola is 9-4 with a 3.43 ERA.

Suárez won’t be a free agent until after the 2025 season. But he could cash in with a solid arbitration deal this offseason.

He also hasn’t been an All-Star, but that is likely to come to an end next month in Arlington, Texas. The pitching staffs are selected by player vote and by MLB leadership and it will be hard for any of them to ignore Suárez’s stellar season. He is likely one of at least two Phillies pitcher to be selected.

Meanwhile, Suárez could be traveling with a huge Phillies party. First baseman Bryce Harper is already the starting first baseman thanks to the fan vote.

Six other Phillies are finalists to be All-Star Game starters, along with Kyle Schwarber, Trea Turner, Alec Bohm, J.T. Realmuto, Brandon Marsh and Nick Castellanos. Voting opens on Sunday and continues through Wednesday, with the starters to be announced on Wednesday