Padres reliever likely heading to IL

Padres reliever Robert Suarez is expected to begin the 2023 campaign on the injured list with arm stiffness and joint inflammation, per Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune. An MRI revealed no structural damage, but the right-hander has remained shut down since March 12, nonetheless. A timetable for his return is currently unknown, but Acee notes that Suarez could resume throwing soon. If Suarez opens the season on the IL, he would first be eligible to return on April 7.

Suarez, who made his major league debut last season at the age of 31 following a lengthy run in Japan’s NPB, dominated to the tune of a 2.27 ERA (166 ERA+) and 3.22 FIP in 47 2/3 innings with the Padres last year. Following the 2022 season, Suarez re-upped with San Diego on a five-year, $46M deal and entered the spring as the top option to set up for closer Josh Hader. With Suarez likely starting the season on the IL, Luis Garcia and Tim Hill seem likely to see work in the late innings until Suarez and left-hander Drew Pomeranz are ready to return from injury.

With Suarez, Pomeranz, Jose Castillo and Adrian Morejon all set to start the season on the injured list, the door is wide-open for San Diego’s pitching depth to make the roster, as Acee notes that in addition to one of Julio Teheran, Jay Groome, Ryan Weathers or Brent Honeywell making the team as the sixth starter while Joe Musgrove recovers from a fractured toe, as many as two more of the aforementioned names could be rostered to open the season as long men out of the bullpen, as the number of pitching injuries plaguing the Padres leave plenty of innings to cover. Michel Baez and Jose Lopez are among other options who could stand to benefit from the available innings.

Without a clear picture of how much time Suarez will miss, it’s hard to say how much this injury will impact the Padres, who figure to lock horns with the Dodgers as front-runners for the NL West this season. While injuries have tested San Diego’s pitching depth this spring, L.A. has struggled with injuries of its own, losing Gavin Lux for the season to a torn ACL while also expecting to start the season without right-hander Tony Gonsolin.