Prior to the start of Wednesday’s game against the San Francisco Giants, Philadelphia Phillies’ manager Rob Thomson provided updates on the status of Weston Wilson and Ranger Suárez.
Wilson performing well in Lehigh
Weston Wilson is progressing well in his rehab at AAA Lehigh Valley. On Tuesday, Wilson went 2-for-5 out of the two-hole for the Iron Pigs, scoring three runs and recording a triple. Wilson played second base and is scheduled to get action in left field on Wednesday before resting on Thursday.
Wilson has accumulated 15 at-bats so far on his rehab assignment. Given that Wilson missed a majority of Spring Training, he will need to build back up at the plate. Thomson stated Wilson may need 40 at-bats or so before being ready to return to the Major Leagues.
Wilson batted .284 scoring 13 runs in 88 at-bats in 2024 for the Phillies. On August 15, Wilson hit for the cycle against the Washington Nationals, the 10th cycle in Phillies franchise history.
Updates on Ranger Suárez
Ranger Suárez, meanwhile, is advancing as he recovers from back stiffness. In his first rehab appearance, he threw 3.0 innings at Single-A Clearwater and is slated to extend a bit further Wednesday night.
“He’ll probably be here tomorrow,” said Thomson on Wednesday. “So he can do a bullpen here and see the trainers, and get our eyes on him. Then we’ll see what day it is for his next start.”
Suárez pitched a 3.42 ERA over 27 starts in 2024 and has been a mainstay in the Phillies’ rotation for the past several years. In a contract year, Suárez will be playing for a paycheck in 2025 as the Phillies have yet to extend his contract.
Two welcome additions
Despite a strong performance Tuesday night from Max Kepler, the Phillies have overall been lacking in production out of left and center field thus far. Though Wilson profiles to fill in as a depth player, his bat may prove to be a breath of fresh air in the outfield for the Phillies.
Suárez. meanwhile will slot back in as the fifth man in the rotation for the Phillies as Taijuan Walker will likely be relegated to the bullpen after Suárez’s return.
Wilson will likely need another week to accrue the at-bats needed to be Major League ready while Suárez will likely need to get a start or two at AA Reading or AAA Lehigh Valley before returning to the Phillies.
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