Phillies approaching historic territory with dominant early-season pitching

The Philadelphia Phillies own the best record in baseball at 35-14. We knew the Phillies were good, but we didn't know the Phillies were this good. Rob Thomson's squad is on track for a historic season, and it has everything to do with Philadelphia's bullpen. 

A lot of Phillies analysis over the last few years has centered on the team's explosive offense. Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, Trea Turner. This is a team built to smack dingers and touch home plate a lot. Flying under the radar is Philadelphia's elite pitching, long anchored by the impressive one-two punch of Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola. 

Right now, however, it's more accurate to label the Phillies' starting rotation as a three-headed monster. In addition to the standard excellence of Wheeler and Nola, Ranger Suarez has been the best No. 3 option in the majors. Heck, he might be the best pitcher, period. 

The Phillies beat the Texas Rangers 5-2 on Tuesday evening. Suarez went seven innings, allowing five hits, one earned run, and two walks. He struck out 10, slicing through the reigning World Series champs with his signature blend of sinkers and off-speed pitches. Aside from Shota Imanaga in Chicago, there isn’t a single MLB pitcher operating with greater confidence and precision than Suarez right now. 

Suarez is now 9-0 across 10 starts, with a comically low 1.36 ERA. He is the first Phillies pitcher to start the season 9-0 since Grover Cleveland Alexander all the way back in 1913. That is more than 100 years ago, folks. 

So dominant has Suarez been, that we are now approaching historic territory for the Phillies rotation. 

Phillies rotation could make history in Cy Young race

Maybe it’s a tad early to start talking about the Cy Young race. We have two-thirds of the season left, so steaks will end, narratives with shift, and new awards candidates will emerge. Cy Young is generally awarded to the pitchers who make the most lasting impression — not the pitcher who starts the hottest in April and May. 

That said, Suarez has shown no signs of slowing down. He’s unflappable on the mound, with a stoic demeanor one might expect from the worldly detective in an old noir film. Suarez seems to know his way around the strike zone. 

Meanwhile, the betting favorite is Wheeler, who is 5-3 in 10 starts with a 2.52 ERA and 0.973 WHIP. The 33-year-old certainly feels like the stronger narrative candidate — he’s a great, established pitcher with only one All-Star and Gold Glove award to his name. It’s past time for Wheeler to have his name etched in the MLB history books. 

There will be competition, of course. The National League is brimming with quality arms. Shota Imanaga is the headliner, currently in the middle of a historic rookie season with the Cubs. Chris Sale, Yu Darvish, Javier Assad, and Reynaldo Lopez all deserve early shouts, too. 

Philadelphia is ahead of the pack collectively, though, with the best record in baseball and the best combined ERA. Don’t be shocked if the Phillies are awarded as such. 

If Wheeler and Suarez finish 1-2 in Cy Young voting, they would become just the fifth pair of teammates in MLB history to achieve that. The most recent example is Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole, who finished first and second, respectively, in the 2019 AL Cy Young race as members of the Houston Astros.

This conversation will continue to evolve all season, but it's hard to pitch better than the Phillies currently are. Suarez and Wheeler are in complete control every week, and Philadelphia is reaping the rewards of their dominance.