The Phillies’ “No. 1 priority” for the remainder of the offseason “is signing ace Zack Wheeler to a contract extension,” MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki writes. Wheeler is set to be a free agent next winter, as he is entering the final season of his five-year, $118MM contract.
Four seasons in, that deal has been an unqualified success from the Phillies’ perspective. Wheeler has the most fWAR (19.3) of any starter in baseball since the start of the 2020 season, as he has posted a 3.06 ERA, 26.7% strikeout rate, 5.3% walk rate, and 47% grounder rate over 629 1/3 regular-season innings in a Philadelphia uniform. The right-hander has been even more dominant during the postseason, delivering a 2.42 ERA over 63 1/3 playoff innings to help carry the Phillies to an NL pennant and an NLCS appearance over the last two seasons.
There aren’t many red flags on Wheeler as he enters his age-34 season, even if his 3.61 ERA in 2023 was the highest of his Philadelphia tenure. He generated fewer grounders and allowed a bit more hard contact than usual, and Wheeler relied more heavily on his signature four-seamer than ever before — he reduced his cutter usage since the secondary pitch wasn’t as effective as it had been in 2021-22.
Health-wise, Wheeler underwent a Tommy John surgery in 2015 and battled some other arm problems during his time with the Mets in 2016-17. He has been quite durable ever since, and a month-long bout of forearm tendinitis late in the 2022 season ended up being relatively minor, as Wheeler returned in strong form for the Phillies’ playoff run.
With his track record of success and durability, Wheeler figures to be one of the most sought-after members of the 2024-25 free agent class, even if he’ll be turning 35 in May 2025. As such, Wheeler and his representatives at Wasserman might seek out a bit of a premium from the Phillies in order to keep the righty from testing the market. A four-year extension isn’t an unreasonable ask given Wheeler’s relatively clean recent health history, and topping the $23.6MM average annual value on his current contract seems like a given.
The Phillies have obviously shown a willingness to spend big in acquiring and retaining star players over the last few seasons, even if this hasn’t manifested itself in many actual extensions. Jose Alvarado and Seranthony Dominguez are the only Phillies to sign extensions during Dave Dombrowski’s three-plus years as president of baseball operations, and those relatively modest deals (two years and $18.55MM in new money for Alvarado, two years and $7.25MM for Dominguez) aren’t in the stratosphere of what it’ll take to lock up Wheeler. While the Phillies kept Aaron Nola and J.T. Realmuto in the fold on new contracts, the Phils let both players reach the open market first before eventually re-signing the duo.
It was just over a month ago that Nola was re-signed to a seven-year, $172MM deal, cementing the right-hander as a staple of the Phils’ rotation through the rest of the decade. Nola joins Bryce Harper and Trea Turner as Philadelphia players who are already signed through at least the 2030 season, plus Realmuto and Kyle Schwarber are on the books through 2025, and Taijuan Walker and Nick Castellanos are signed through 2026. An extension for Wheeler would put yet another hefty contract on the team’s ledger, though spending big on star talent has long been Dombrowski’s M.O. The Phillies have exceeded the luxury tax in each of the last two seasons and are projected to be well over at least the first tax threshold in 2024, so owner John Middleton isn’t showing any signs of cutting back given how close the Phillies have come to a championship.
That said, it seems like a lot of the heavy lifting is over on the Phillies’ 2023-24 offseason work, now that Nola has been re-signed and Yoshinobu Yamamoto is officially off the market. Signing Yamamoto would have arguably been a luxury for the team, yet the team viewed him as a special player worthy of a strong push, and Dombrowski told Zolecki and other reporters that “I think we were extremely competitive” in at least getting Yamamoto’s attention.
“We were aggressive. When we made our presentation [to Yamamoto’s representatives], I think our guys did a tremendous job,” Dombrowski said. “I think they presented the organization well….I don’t think it had anything to do with anything else, he just preferred to be a Dodger. Ultimately he was just not a person attuned to coming to Philly.”
In terms of further pursuits, Dombrowski said other additions would come “more around the edges” of the roster, since so much of Philadelphia’s 26-man is already set. This will take the form of bullpen help and depth/swingman type of pitchers for the rotation, and Dombrowski downplayed the idea of adding another outfielder. With Harper now the regular first baseman and Schwarber the regular DH, the Phillies will have Castellanos, Brandon Marsh, Johan Rojas, Cristian Pache, Jake Cave, Simon Muzziotti, and utilitymen Weston Wilson and Kody Clemens all in the mix for outfield playing time.
Waiting for Dodger haters to post here.
Perhaps find something better to do.
He’s not wrong though. Fans are obsessing over his the Dodgers are the new Yankees
The Wheeler signing has been one of the best FA signings in recent history (outside of the Scherzer Nats deal). An extension seems like a no brainer, but it’s not without risk.
VonP: What are you thinking is an aggreable extension for him?
I agree on wheeler but I was pleased to see the philles jump in the game strong with yamamoto. The philles have holes especially in the bullpen,closer by committee doesn’t work.
I think closer by committe can absolutely work, but the Phils mostly stuck with Kimbrel and he struggled in the NLCS. They need a new big arm back there.
Sorry Kimbrel was never reliable or dominant for our philles in fact I trembled when he sprinted to the mound. You don’t win without a dominant closer. I’m old school, Billy Wagner old school, Tell me the last bullpen by committee world series champion.
@Preaching
Didnt the Rangers basically do that between Smith Leclerc and Chapman last season?
Billy Wagner old school,
============================
Should be in the HOF.
2105 KC had a shutdown ‘pen of Herrera, Wade Davis & Greg Holland. Holland had 30 saves, while Wade Davis carried 17 saves and was more dominant (per FiP, K/9, WHIP, etc.). They weren’t as much of a bullpen by committee as they were just really good, but interesting how Davis was utilized. It should be noted that Holland left via FA (COL) the next season and Davis replaced him as closer, of course, which ironically led him to COL via FA, a few seasons after.
He was pretty reliable for the Phillies. Except when it mattered most.
I would compare the Phillies bullpen to a lesser version of that. They have a crop of good arms, all of can close put games. We just need another to replace Kimbrel.
@Von I think Kevin Gausman should at least be in that conversation.
Your championship is as real as the boobs in LA.
Everytime I read the name Jack Cave, I know I make a face. Good guy or not, Phils need a bench bat that produces. Hoping for the Weston Wilson breakout year…..
And that bench also includes b/u catcher that the manager can start 1-2 times a week.
I also make a face when I think of Jack Cave, but that’s because I don’t really care for avant-garde or haute couture fashion. It’s not really my thing. I find it too silly and impractical, although one wonders what Jack could do with those Phillies uniforms.
Jake Cave, on the other hand, doesn’t really help the offense much more then Jack could.
Just what do you want or expect from backup players? Play 3 times a month, yet some people want Acuna production from them the few times they actually play. This constant whining about Cave, Stubbs, and the other BACKUPS is ridiculous
Not whining lad….Just pointing out the obvious, pointing out things that were said by announcers as well.
Cave just can’t produce at the MLB level and has proven that over the past 3 seasons. The MGR can’t play Stubbs and JT NEEDS rest. Sosa did a fine job
To your point Harrison was terrible, but he has proven he needs regular ab’s that weren’t available.
Not asking for 4 all star subs, but they have to at least be playable. There were quite a few “scheduled losses” when the MGR trotted out 3 bench guys to not so good results.
Don’t do it Zack!
Why not?
He can get more money on the open market and not pitch in a bandbox.
The Mets and Dodgers underperform
5 years 125 million defer all but $1 until 2075
im hoping something like 6/$150m gets it done. not sure about the 6th yr but I feel based on the market it may be needed to get it done
Wonder what his baseline will be? 4yr, 5yr? $25-30….more?
Either way have set my clock for ’26 and Sasaki.
Yeah next season’s FA class for SP will be pretty darn good: headlined by Sasaki, Fried, Wheeler, Buehler…..
I don’t think they have to post Sasaki for multiple years yet
They don’t, but my understanding is they were going to this season (at his request), but by the time they tried, they were already past the posting deadline. The article postulates that he will be posted next offseason, despite the fact he’s only 22. I guess we won’t know for sure what they will do but it would be really cool to have back-to-back Japanese aces posted.
Sasaki’s contract will be less than Yamamoto, imho because of his injury history.
Apparently not until after 2026 but that’s not 100% clear. Very strange that his request to be posted was announced along w some speculation on an escape clause, but theres been no news since. Deadline to post him has passed but there was never any follow up explaining the outcome as far as I can tell, at least not in English-language media.
Oh, thanks. That’s my bad then. I thought his posting was going to be after ‘24. My apologies for the confusion.
I mean, it might be. If he has an escape clause like Shohei – and he’s good enough to reasonably expect that he might – it could be sooner. Reporting his just been scant.
The Mets are going to go absolutely nuts next offseason.
Mets can go as nuts as they want, but some players have preferences. Just hoping Sasaki takes a shine to Philly.
cpdpoet: I’m normally not one to correct spelling, but you misspelled “New York” at the end of your sentence…
As I remember the Tug McGraw quote from 1980…I smile.
Either way it’ll be another fun chase to watch for sure. Wasn’t a fan of all the people that posted stuff about the ohtani process. Their right for sure, but quite a few took it personally? Can only imagine if there wasn’t a profanity filter…
Haha, so true. Probably see the no-filter responses on Twitter though. I don’t get the emotional responses. I mean, I do get where it comes from, but I can’t get that emotional over another team signing a guy.
If anything, I get emotional with my own ownership when someone else signs a desired player. But I don’t fault the team that sign him.
@von
As a met fan, i was hoping theyd brung wheeler back to NY on a 4-year high AAV but I think he’ll stay with you guys
He’s become one of the best in baseball last several seasons, great signing by you guys and i knew it at the time… but that was when the wilpons were still here
@Ma there’s no way he signs with the Mets after the way they dogged him in 2015. I may have read wrong but I do recall articles quoting him as disliking the team for their treatment of him.
Yep, but a guy can dream
And the Mets books open up to sign 3 of them.
Just like Yamamoto.
So in one post you say the Mets go nuts next off-season and then a couple posts down it’s the opposite.
I didn’t say the opposite. I was just making a Yamamoto jab. Mets are absolutely going ti get some primo FAs in 25.
I think you are in the ballpark on years and AAV for Wheeler.
Agree if he extends now and includes 2024 in the deal, i could see 5-150 for 2014-28
That’s the same numbers I was thinking.
Things have been in a downward spiral for the Giants ever since they traded Wheeler for Beltran.
Didn’t they win two World Series after that trade?
This would be the correct answer
Looks like I was mistaken. For some reason I thought that trade was after 2014.
Just before the 2011 trade deadline.
the Phillies need to give him an extension much more importantly than Harper. I don’t like the fact that the number one priority the rest of us all season is to give real an extension because the fillers have done absolutely nothing this winter other than resigning Nola and a couple Fringe major league roster players. we need to do some more to this bullpen we should be looking at least one more starter it just seems like we’re doing absolutely nothing
Agreed. For as bad as John Middleton says he “wants [his] f****** trophy back”, the team seems content running out the same roster that fell short last season. Stephenson or Hader could make this a really scary bullpen, as would another quality starter as you mentioned (prefer the trade route here vs. FA’s available). Doesn’t make a lot of sense unless this is just posturing on DD’s part because a famous Philly slow start to the season is going to have the fans in an uproar after a gut wrenching exit to the playoffs and a relatively quiet offseason.
Just because they missed on some of the FA that have signed elsewhere shouldn’t indicate they are content to run it back w/ the same team. I think Philly will continue to pursue additions and locking up Wheeler just gives them certainty beyond 2024 to make more informed moves.
Last paragraph DD is quoted saying heavy lifting is done and additions will be “around the edges.” I’m not trying to be rude, but how would around the edges additions make this a significantly more competitive team heading into 2024?
All I was saying is Middleton was obviously willing to increase an already extremely high payroll for the right player because they’ve been legitimately in on these huge free agents already. They may very well run it back but not for lack of effort. For what its worth I cant understand why the fans would be pissed about that.. this team is stacked. Turner and Harper will perform better next year too. I dont think they need to acquire a pitcher or top flight bullpen arm to run at the NLCS as constructed.
I don’t think they need to be significantly more competitive. They were a game away from the World Series. Improvements would be nice, and I’m sure we’ll get some, but to DD’s point, they heavy lifting is done. I expect some bullpen adds. Maybe a depth starter.
Tell von purple that. Hader is to dominant for the philles.
Hader is pretty expensive. I’d absolutely love getting him, but I’m also being realistic. They want to extend Wheeler. There are cheaper ways to improve the bullpen. I’m confident DD will at least check in on Hader.
They have one of the better bullpens in baseball.
The fact that none of them are big names or “established closers” doesn’t matter. Alvarado, Soto, Dominguez, Kerkering, Hoffman, and Strahm are a very good group.
None of which can be reliably counted on to close out games on a consistent bases. My God Soto? Kerkering ? Hoffman a huge maybe. Dominguez and Alvarado have never been the man. This philles pitching staff has everything but a bona-fide closer.
Most teams in baseball don’t have the 100% reliable guy. But yeah. I’d love Hader. I wouldn’t mind a reunion with Neris either. He was awesome in Houston and fits the Phillies formula of a setup man who could close when needed.
He’d be silly not to test the waters, unless Philly offers him something that will be in the $40M ballpark. If Scherzer can land $43m per at a higher age, Wheeler can get $40M per as one of the top pitchers available at 35. And while he can still throw hard, his precision has been his success. He’s converted from throwing to pitching.
Will have an absurd amount of suitors. Perhaps his hometown Atlanta Braves
AA wouldn’t go over 3 years for Wheeler when he was a free agent from the Mets. There’s no way they circle back and do it now…Man that was a dumb move considering how good Wheeler and that contract has turned out to be.
Everyone on this board hated the Wheeler signing. I was getting bashed for saying he has ace potential. I’m a pretty dumb fella, but I got that right.
He was coming off two 4 win seasons and only got 5 years. I have a hard time beliving everyone hated it.
I was with you, hated the mets letting him go
Archived posts are still searchable I believe. Everyone is an exaggeration on my part, but certainly most posters.
Yes many considered it a bit of an overpay
What a fantastic signing this turned out to be. Talk about a deal on a SP! Perhaps the only problem is he’s going to want to get paid for that, and with his age, I don’t know that Philly will want to invest a lot long-term for his remaining years.
It would be awesome for Philly if he goes high AAV for 3 years or whatever, or another lower AAV for 5. What an amazing asset he’s been for them.
Not sure why Wheeler flies under the radar so much. He’s better than the Glasnow’s, Rodon’s, and Montgomery’s of the baseball world. Yet, people have seem to forgotten about him and how much of a steal the contract was for the Phillies
Such a stud. If Nola’s new deal is used as a comp on what Philly is willing to do, I could see them going 5-6 new years at 25M to take Wheeler to his age 38 year like they’re going with Nola.
That’s a great comp! I could see $25-30MM AAV over 5 years. I still think that would turn out well for Philly too.
Agreed, that feels like a win-win for both player and team.
Wheeler is another stud the SF Giants let get away. Bryan Reynolds CF Pirates, the same..
Well, they moved him for Beltran. Wouldn’t exactly say they let him get away. And while I personally thought he had the best stuff of all the Mets young pitchers (Harvey, Thor, DeGrom, Matz), his control was the big concern. He’s been phenomenal in maturing his command and becoming a pitcher.
Degrom’s stuff was unreal but yes, loved wheeler’s stuff too. Glad someone else remembers he did used to struggle w control. But he harnessed it and became one of the most complete pitchers in the game.
Crazy rare that a player signs a deal like that, over performs over the life of the deal, is somehow underpaid at $23.6M a season.
I’d give him 3 years/$100M to 4 years/$120M on top of that original deal. Maybe 5 years/$157M, make it a total of 10 years/$275M, which nowadays for a top tier pitcher, is that level of pay that almost seems like a bargain.
Really does seem nowadays like players are overpaid or underpaid, almost nobody is paid exactly their true value.
This seems right.
He will hit free agency, especially seeing what Nola got, you know he’s gonna want more money then what Nola received.
Nola is three years younger.
And half as good.
Don’t do it Wheeler! Yamamoto,who hasn’t pitched an inning in the MLB got over $300M so you can get at least $400M from the open market
Yamamoto is 10 years younger. that’s a lot
He’s also a decent #4 guy in the MLB.
Based on what exactly? Yamamoto dominated Japanese baseball. He strokes out a lot of hitters, doesn’t walk that many, has very good control. And he has at least 3 plus pitches.
When an ace level SP is available at 25, he should the contract he got
@Jubilation
You watch this season and see. He’s a decent pitcher but quite hittable for MLB hitters.
There isn’t a front office in baseball that agrees with you, OY. He got ace money because the smartest scouting departments in baseball all agree he is an ace.
LOL Mets who were too cheap to sign him and let him walk out the door for nada.
BVW even had some words to bad mouth him at the time
bleacherreport.com/articles/2876334-mets-gm-brodie…
“Our health and performance department, our coaches all contributed and helped him parlay two good half-seasons over the last five years into a $118 million. I’m proud of what our group was able to help him accomplish. I’m happy he was rewarded for it. Players deserve to be rewarded when they perform well. More than anything else, I’m thrilled with the pitching staff we have.”
“Our health and performance department, our coaches all contributed and helped him parlay two good half-seasons over the last five years into a $118 million. I’m proud of what our group was able to help him accomplish. I’m happy he was rewarded for it. Players deserve to be rewarded when they perform well. More than anything else, I’m thrilled with the pitching staff we have.”
True story when the Mets went to the postseason while Wheeler was injured they wouldn’t let him watch the Games at the ballpark. They told him to purchase tickets Lol Mets
The Mets have changed a bit since employing BVW.
Yes 4 GMs later back to Sandy Alderson, then Porter, ( the deviant ), then the drunk, then Billy Eppler, now small market GM Stearns. You are so right lol
I can’t make this stuff up only I remember Frank Cashen and the ’86 Mets Championship Team he created and the Tom Seaver ’69 Mets. Not the same as it was.
It’s all good for me I got mine and then some watching the miracle Mets of the late 60’s early 70’s and returning to NYC with Darryl Strawberry to watch the ’86 Championship.
I can now just sit back and watch the comedy clown show under Steve Cohen following in the footsteps of the Wilpons.
MLB and how teams are organized and run aren’t the same as in the 1980s either.
Building a pitching staff was a simpler and more linear process. Four 200-250-inning starters, a swingman, and five, maybe six, relievers did the trick.
Frank Cashen while GM of the Baltimore Orioles built a SP staff with 4 20 Game Winners which I remember.
He came to the Mets and continued nearly as successful with the ’86 pitching staff developing and trading for pitching.
The ’69 Mets developed 2 nearly unanimous HOF pitchers in Tom Seaver and Nolan Ryan who I remember.
I liked the Game much better back then.
But change is inevitable, and there’s nothing we can do about it.
As for 1969, it’s important to remember that the players were still being illegally exploited and underpaid because of the reserve clause.
The game was simpler, but grossly unfair to the players who brought in the revenue.
Imagine what Seaver, Bob Gibson, Mike Cuellar, Dave McNally, Frank Robinson, Brooks Robinson, and other stars would have been worth in free agency – a basic right we take for granted today thanks to people like Marvin Miller and Curt Flood.
@Blue Baron Except that almost no team had 4 such starters. The 1939 Yankees, one of the all-time great teams, had one starter with 200+ innings and just two starters total with 160+ innings. Their 1952 WS winner had two pitchers total with 150+ innings.
History’s not what we think it is.
Growing up as a Phillies fan in NY was tough in the late 80s, but 2007-2011 made up for it.
JackStrawb & VonPurpleHayes,
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to both of you! I hope you are happy, healthy & enjoying the Holidays with Family & Loved Ones.
Robrock same to you buddy! All the best!!
Happy holidays to all!
Mets fans gonna explode…
Cohen: “tevs”
Tevs?
Years ago kids shortened “Whatever” to “Whatev”. I guess that was too grueling to say or type….now it’s “tev” or “tevs”…..sighs
LOL.
Wheeler is 34. I wouldn’t go more than 4 years. Maybe a 5th year as a club option.
4/91mil plus incentives
Don’t even bother calling him then.
I love Wheeler, but this is fraught with danger. Some of his peripherals are going sideways, and he will be just about 35 when his next contract starts. This is one guy I’d wait on to see how he ends the year. It’ll cost more, but I think it would be worth it to get a better gauge on how he is aging.
Love the guy and love the team so I hope they can find something that is mutually beneficial.
He will get something similar to the DeGrom contract 5 years 175 million. He’s a top 5 pitcher in the game easy.
@Joel P And we saw how that deGrom deal worked out.
Wheeler will be 35 his first FA year. We know that the working life of the TJ surgery Wheeler had in 2015 is around 8 years. Two years of FIP decline, from 2.59 to 3.15.
You’ll probably get three years for the four years you’ll be paying for (and perhaps 5 years, as you note), and perhaps just two years if another TJ is on the menu.
Great pitcher, and I’d rather have 4 years of Wheeler than 7 of Nola, but 5 years for Wheeler is just too much. Age 35 is when even the greats break down or are so beset by nagging injuries that they routinely become quite ordinary—and that’s before you get into the nightmare that the late 2020s will be in terms of contracts for expensive players well into their decline phases. It’ll be amazing if Harper, now just a 3 win 1Bman with modest defense, is still a useful regular when he’s 35, and at that point the Phillies will have him for another four years.
The DeGrom contract has 4 more years on it. To say because DeGrom got hurt Wheeler will too is ridiculous.
Wheeler is going to get that kind of contract. Is it a good decision? Most free agents signings aren’t. But that’s what’s he’s going to get.
Yeah he’s gonna get a world series ring after missing like 80% of the season.
Yep but he’ll get the five if they include this year in the extension. If he makes it to FA, i suppose one desperate team will go 5. Theres always one
Extending him is a much better use of funds than extending Bryce Harper. Lol Scott Boras
That makes no sense. How will they be able to attract free agents in 2032 unless a 39 year old Harper is on the team?
What about that Harper extension lol
Not a chance in hell he signs an extension. He’d be a major sought after pitcher
I just do not think it is such a good idea to do so. Remember a few years ago when the window was wide open and they gave huge deals to Lee and Halladay when they were in the twilight of their prime and it did not work out. They should chose between Nola and Wheeler and then build from there
A smaller market team might have to make a choice like that, but Philly has proven they are willing to run a high payroll. They can easily afford both and just ride out the decline without any negative impact.
And contemporaneously ride out the decline of Harper, Nola, and Turner, as well, not to mention shorter deals to other post-peak players?
No team has ever pulled off spending close to half its payroll on four old to very old players.
Those declines wouldn’t be concurrent even if they extend Wheeler a few more years. Harper and Turner will be around for another half decade past that, I think it’s very reasonable to expect solid to very good contributions from all 4 of those guys including Wheeler over the next 3 years or so. Why not keep the world series window wide open beyond next year, if they have the money?
I thought Harpers extension was the priority?? Bryce NEEDS that extension to recruit top tier talent! Make him feel wanted, Philly!!
“JUST THIRTEEN YEARS? YOU DON’T LOVE ME!!!”
I will be crying for Bryce this Xmas and praying for his extension. So unfair they are treating this poor man like this! Around the holidays too!!
“An extension for Wheeler would put yet another hefty contract on the team’s ledger,…”
… for yet another old player. The Phillies might have done well to let Nola go and focused instead on a 4-year deal for Wheeler.
As it is in 2030 they’ll be paying $75m to three 38 year olds. Has a team every carried this sort of burden? Signing Wheeler will put them over $100m for three players incl a 38 yo and three 35 yos in 2028.
They’d better win a WS to justify this.
Of course these contracts are going to end poorly. Might as well give themselves the best chance to win while they can.
Remember when people laughed at the contract he got when he signed with the Phillies? Turned out to be one of the better pitching contracts ever
I don’t understand why they would want to rush to sign him to an extension. The guy is under contract all season and he will be 35 in May 2025. It’s not like you’re getting him at a discount by signing him now, he’s unlikely to get any better in his age 34 season, but he certainly could begin his decline. They got 4 great seasons out of him, the contract couldn’t have worked out any better. Let him play out the year and then reassess. It’s not like losing a 35 year old pitcher to FA is the end of the world. There’s only so much room on any roster for guys older than 32-33.
You’re not wrong. Wheeler is pretty specifial, but Father Time is undefeated.
I don’t mind signing Nola and maybe now Wheeler. But I do like they let Hoskins walk. And should also change the lineup some. Gotta keep it fresh. That was a huge issue with the 2008-09 Phillies. They didn’t want to let the locker room atmosphere go so they held onto everyone way past their time. And couldn’t repeat the magic. New faces and old faces. A perfect mix for success.
So the Phillies are trotting out the same team in 2024. They must add a “3” as T Walker is not even a “5” at this point. Suarez only goes 5 innings. Not good enough.
They have no shot against Braves or Dodgers.