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Phillies Notes: Ranger Suárez dealing with right hamstring soreness

Ranger Suárez will not start Sunday against the Nationals.(Cheryl Pursell)

WASHINGTON — Left-handed pitcher Ranger Suárez will not make his next scheduled start Sunday in Williamsport against the Nationals, Rob Thomson said on Friday in Washington.

Suárez is dealing with a sore right hamstring. He did not feel it in his last start against Minnesota on Aug. 13.

The hamstring started acting up earlier in the week in Toronto. It’s unclear if Suárez needs to go on the injured list. The Phillies will know more about Suárez’s status on Saturday.

“The day that he got sore, he was shagging [in the outfield],” Thomson said. “It looked normal. So he went in the shower and it just started stiffening up. Don’t really know what happened.”

Both Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola will move up a day. Wheeler will pitch on Sunday in Williamsport. Nola will start Monday against the Giants at Citizens Bank Park.

Taijuan Walker is a possibility to start Tuesday against San Francisco. He will throw a bullpen session, his first since the Phillies decided to skip his turn in the rotation, on Wednesday in Washington. He has not pitched since Aug. 12.

The Phillies could be in a really precarious position if neither Walker nor Suárez are ready to start on Tuesday.

On Thomson’s concern level regarding Suárez: “Not all that much. A lot of times, your legs get aggravated being on that turf. So I’m hoping that’s all it was.”

Other Phillies Injury Updates

José Alvarado (left elbow inflammation) will make his second rehab appearance with Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Friday. Thomson hopes to give him two days of rest before eventually activating him on Monday, if all goes well.
Brandon Marsh (left knee contusion) could be activated as early as Saturday. He will play center field for Lehigh Valley on Friday night.
Marsh will definitely beat center fielder Cristian Pache (right elbow irritation) back from the injured list. The Phillies want to keep him on rehab assignment so he can get more at-bats and more reps in the corner outfield. His 20-day maximum rehab assignment clock expires on Aug. 28, so he should be back within the next 10 days. Pache will DH on Friday for Lehigh Valley.