Ranger Suárez Nears Return After Successful Rehab Start

Ranger Suárez is making significant strides in his recovery from back stiffness, having completed three scoreless innings in his first rehab start with Single-A Clearwater. He is expected to throw around 55 pitches in his next outing and could return to the Philadelphia Phillies' rotation by the end of April. Meanwhile, top prospect Andrew Painter has also made his return to baseball, showing promise in his Single-A debut, which may lead to a summer call-up to the majors. With the current rotation performing well, particularly Taijuan Walker, there is less urgency to rush Suárez back, and he may initially serve in a long relief role to ease his transition. The Phillies are facing a dilemma of having too many quality pitchers, which could lead to creative solutions for managing the rotation. This depth will be crucial as the team aims for a successful season despite recent offensive struggles.