As the 2025 MLB regular season barrels toward its final stretch, the Philadelphia Phillies once again find themselves right in the thick of the playoff race-where they’ve grown comfortable in recent years. They’re backed by a bona fide MVP candidate in Kyle Schwarber, whose power and clutch-hitting have given Philly a relentless edge, and longtime anchor Bryce Harper, who continues to lead with the poise and fire of a future Hall of Famer.

The team is oozing with confidence, and perhaps most importantly, their pitching staff is finally rounding back into something resembling full strength. But not everything is trending upward.

One troubling storyline? Ranger Suárez has hit an ice-cold patch-and it’s come at just about the worst possible time for a team with serious October ambitions.

Suárez, the lefty who had been a steady, at times spectacular piece in the Phillies’ rotation earlier this season, delivered another subpar outing on Tuesday night, this time in a 6-1 loss to the Cincinnati Reds. The numbers tell the story: 10 hits, six earned runs, two walks, three strikeouts across 5 1/3 innings.

That performance wasn’t an outlier-it’s part of a broader, downward trend. Over his last six starts, Suárez has been hit hard, allowing 45 hits and 24 earned runs, resulting in a ballooned ERA of 6.11 during that span.

And it’s not just the box scores raising eyebrows. Tuesday’s game also saw Suárez tangle with home plate umpire Will Traynor in a visible on-field disagreement. Manager Rob Thomson didn’t mince words afterward, making it clear he expects more composure from the 29-year-old veteran.

“You gotta shut that down,” Thomson said postgame. “You gotta stay focused, stay composed and keep pitching.

Those things are going to happen… I don’t know if they’re accurate or not. But, that’s something you can’t control and you’ve just got to keep pitching.”

Thomson’s message was clear: the Phillies need Suárez to lock in-not get lost in frustration.

Big picture, there’s still belief within the organization that Suárez can course-correct. His full-season numbers aren’t disastrous-he holds an 8-6 record with a 3.28 ERA and 101 strikeouts over 112.1 innings.

That stat line is a reminder of how good he was for much of the first half. At his best, he’s a cunning lefty with elite command and real playoff experience under his belt.

But with Zack Wheeler leading the staff, Aaron Nola nearing a return, and stable contributions from Taijuan Walker and Jesus Luzardo, the Phillies have rotation depth. The question now is whether Suárez can reestablish himself as part of the core group expected to lead the Phillies into-and through-October.

There’s still time, and his next start, slated for August 17 against the Washington Nationals, could go a long way in determining where he stands. For now, Suárez remains on the bump, but his leash might be growing shorter. And for a team with eyes on another deep postseason run, every outing counts a little more than the last.