José Suarez: Everything you need to know

Suarez gave up two hits and a walk over three scoreless innings Friday to record his first save of the season in a win over the Phillies. Atlanta waltzed to a 9-0 victory, and Suarez finished out the shutout after Martin Perez had tossed six innings. Suarez has filled a swingman role to begin the season, posting a 6.35 ERA, 1.94 WHIP and 12:5 K:BB in 11.1 innings over five appearances (one start), but he could lose his spot on the 26-man roster once Spencer Strider (oblique) is ready for his 2026 debut.

Suarez has made his last two appearances out of the Atlanta bullpen, yielding three earned runs on six hits and one walk while striking out four batters across 2.2 innings. After the Atlanta rotation was hit hard by injuries in spring training, Suarez was called upon to start the club's fifth game of the season back on March 31. However, after getting roughed up for four earned runs in 3.2 innings in a loss to the Athletics, Suarez ended up moved to the bullpen while Atlanta turned to Martin Perez as its new fifth starter. Though Perez has since been designated for assignment, Suarez may not be next in line to fill the open rotation spot. Instead, Atlanta may be inclined to turn to either Didier Fuentes or JR Ritchie -- both of whom have gotten off to excellent starts at Triple-A Gwinnett -- to step into the fifth starter's role.

Suarez (0-1) took the loss against the Athletics on Tuesday, allowing four runs on five hits and three walks while striking out six across 3.2 innings. Suarez opened Tuesday's game strongly by striking out two of the first three batters he faced, but he struggled across the next three frames before being pulled in the fourth. He was tabbed as Atlanta's fifth starter in the rotation after Spencer Strider (oblique) opened the season on the 15-day IL, but performances like Tuesday's will put Suarez in danger of losing his spot to candidates like Martin Perez and Didier Fuentes. For now, Suarez is slated to start against the Diamondbacks this weekend.