Albert Joe Suárez Subero (born October 8, 1989) is a Venezuelan professional baseball pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in the MLB for the San Francisco Giants. He has also played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows and in the KBO League for the Samsung Lions.

Albert Suárez
Suárez pitching for the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2018 spring training
Baltimore Orioles – No. 49
Pitcher
Born: (1989-10-08) October 8, 1989 (age 35)
San Félix [es], Venezuela
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Professional debut
MLB: May 8, 2016, for the San Francisco Giants
NPB: April 25, 2019, for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows
KBO: April 3, 2022, for the Samsung Lions
MLB statistics
(through 2024 season)
Win–loss record12–15
Earned run average4.08
Strikeouts196
NPB statistics
(through 2021 season)
Win–loss record10–8
Earned run average3.00
Strikeouts134
KBO statistics
(through 2023 season)
Win–loss record10–15
Earned run average3.04
Strikeouts247
Stats at Baseball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Teams
Career highlights and awards

Career

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Tampa Bay Rays

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On July 2, 2006, Suárez signed with the Tampa Bay Rays organization as an international free agent. Suárez began his professional career in 2008, playing for the rookie ball Princeton Rays and went 0–2 with a 3.92 ERA in 11 games (nine starts). In 2009, he pitched for the Low-A Hudson Valley Renegades, going a combined 1–0 with a 2.79 ERA in two starts. He pitched for the GCL Rays and the Single-A Bowling Green Hot Rods in 2010, going a combined 2–5 with a 3.38 ERA in 15 games (14 starts). On November 19, 2010, Suárez was added to the Rays' 40-man roster. In 2011, he was 1–1 with a 2.15 ERA in eight games between the GCL Rays and High-A Charlotte Stone Crabs and in 2012, he was 5–9 with a 4.08 ERA in 25 starts for Charlotte. On August 31, 2012, Suárez was designated for assignment by Tampa Bay.[1] He cleared waivers on September 3 and was assigned to Double-A.[2] He made two starts for the Double-A Montgomery Biscuits in 2013, posting a 1.42 ERA. On November 4, 2013, he elected free agency, but quickly re-signed with Tampa Bay on November 12 on a new minor league contract. With Charlotte and Montgomery in 2014, he went a combined 4–6 with a 3.60 ERA in 14 starts.[3]

Los Angeles Angels

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On November 24, 2014, Suárez signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim that included an invitation to Spring Training.[4] He was assigned to the Double-A Arkansas Travelers to begin the year, and after going 11–9 with a 2.98 ERA in 27 starts for the team, he earned a 2015 Texas League Mid-Season All-Star selection. On November 6, 2015, he elected free agency.

San Francisco Giants

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On November 18, 2015, Suárez signed a minor league contract with the San Francisco Giants organization that included an invitation to major league spring training.[5] He was assigned to the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats to begin the 2016 season.[6] Suárez was 1–2 with a 2.88 ERA in Triple-A when he was promoted to the major leagues for the first time on May 6, 2016.[7]

Suárez made his major league debut on May 8, 2016, pitching one scoreless inning in relief against the Colorado Rockies.[8] Suárez earned his first major league win on May 11, pitching a scoreless top of the 13th inning against the Toronto Blue Jays, escaping a bases-loaded jam by inducing Blue Jays outfielder José Bautista to pop out.[9] Suárez made his first major league start on June 1, 2016, against the Atlanta Braves, allowing 3 runs in 5 innings pitched. In the game, he got his first major league hit and RBI on an infield single off Ian Krol.[10] He finished his rookie season with a 3-5 record and 4.29 ERA in 22 appearances. In 2017, Suárez logged an 0-3 record and a 5.12 ERA with 34 strikeouts in 18 appearances for the Giants. On December 1, 2017, Suárez was non-tendered by the Giants, but re-signed with the team on a minor league contract on December 10.

Arizona Diamondbacks

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On December 14, 2017, Suárez was selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the Rule 5 draft.[11] On March 24, 2018, Suárez was designated for assignment by Arizona and was outrighted to the Triple-A Reno Aces on March 27.[12] He spent the year in Reno, logging a 4.97 ERA with 51 strikeouts in 63.1 innings of work. Suárez elected free agency on October 11, 2018.

Tokyo Yakult Swallows

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On December 12, 2018, Suárez signed with the Tokyo Yakult Swallows of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).[13] He finished his first NPB season with a 1.53 ERA in 4 appearances. The next year, he pitched in 12 games for Yakult, posting a 4-4 record and 2.67 ERA with 52 strikeouts in 67.1 innings.

Samsung Lions

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On December 7, 2021, Suárez signed with the Samsung Lions of the Korea Baseball Organization.[14] In 30 games (29 starts) for Samsung in 2022, he registered a 6–8 record and 2.49 ERA with 159 strikeouts in 173+23 innings pitched.

On December 7, 2022, Suarez re-signed a one-year $1.3 million contract for the 2023 season. In 2023, he made 19 starts for Samsung, posting a 4–7 record and 3.92 ERA with 88 strikeouts in 108.0 innings of work. After suffering a left calf injury that ruled him out for a month, Suarez was released by the Lions on August 10, 2023.[15]

Baltimore Orioles

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On September 15, 2023, Suárez signed a minor league contract with the Baltimore Orioles organization.[16] He was assigned to the Triple–A Norfolk Tides to begin the 2024 season. On April 17, 2024, the Orioles added him to their major league roster.[17] He started that day's game[18] and struck out the first batter he faced in the majors since September 26, 2017,[19] en route to 5+23 shutout innings.[20] He pitched an additional 5+23 shutout innings in a 4–2 away victory over the Los Angeles Angels on April 22, earning his first MLB win since June 23, 2016. The 2,860 days between those two MLB wins is the second-longest since the 1950s, surpassed by only Travis Blackley's 2,906 from 2004 to 2012.[21] Suárez had a streak of three straight scoreless starts which ended when Jose Altuve hit a leadoff homer in the first inning of a 3–2 home victory over the Houston Astros on August 24.[22] He pitched a career-high 133+23 innings and finished the regular season at 9–7 with a 3.70 ERA.[23]

Personal life

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His brother, Robert Suárez, is also a pitcher in MLB.[24]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Links, Zachary (August 31, 2012). "Rays Designate Albert Suarez For Assignment". MLB Trade Rumors.
  2. ^ Links, Zachary (September 3, 2012). "Cleared Waivers: Rhymes, Suarez". MLB Trade Rumors.
  3. ^ "Albert Suarez Minor, Winter & Japanese Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com.
  4. ^ "Albert Suárez Stats, Fantasy & News". MLB.com.
  5. ^ Haft, Chris (January 26, 2016). "Beede, Arroyo among Giants' camp invites". MLB.com.
  6. ^ "River Cats announce 2016 Opening Day roster" (Press release). Sacramento River Cats. April 6, 2016.
  7. ^ Eymer, Rick (May 6, 2016). "Giants add Suarez to bullpen, drop Mazzaro". MLB.com.
  8. ^ Baggarly, Andrew (May 8, 2016). "UPDATED: Jeff Samardzija gets shaded by the shift as Nolan Arenado, Rockies beat Giants". Bay Area News Group.
  9. ^ Schulman, Henry (May 12, 2016). "Giants blow late lead but beat Blue Jays in 13 innings". San Francisco Chronicle.
  10. ^ Schulman, Henry (June 2, 2016). "Giants lose 9th-inning lead, fall to Braves, lose Pence to injury". San Francisco Chronicle.
  11. ^ "2017 MLB Rule 5 Draft results". MLB.com. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
  12. ^ Todd, Jeff (March 27, 2018). "Diamondbacks Outright Albert Suarez". MLB Trade Rumors.
  13. ^ "Yakult reaches deal with pitcher Albert Suarez". The Japan Times. December 12, 2018. Retrieved December 12, 2018.
  14. ^ Polishuk, Mark (December 7, 2021). "NPB/KBO Signings: 12/7/21". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
  15. ^ "Samsung Lions release injured pitcher Suarez, sign ex-Dino Widener". The Korea Times. Yonhap News Agency. August 10, 2023. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
  16. ^ "Transactions". MiLB.com. September 15, 2023.
  17. ^ Adams, Steve (April 17, 2024). "Orioles Designate David Bañuelos, Select Albert Suarez". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved April 17, 2024.
  18. ^ Dubroff, Rich (April 17, 2024). "Albert Suárez gets call to start for Orioles against Twins". BaltimoreBaseball.com. Retrieved April 17, 2024.
  19. ^ MLB [@MLB] (April 17, 2024). "MLB on X: "Albert Suárez strikes out the first batter he faces in the Majors since September 26, 2017" (Tweet). Retrieved April 17, 2024 – via Twitter.
  20. ^ "Orioles 4-2 Twins (Apr 17, 2024) Box Score". ESPN. April 17, 2024. Retrieved April 17, 2024.
  21. ^ Maguire, Brent, "Worth the wait: Suárez wins first game since 2016 in solid performance," MLB.com, Monday, April 22, 2024. Retrieved April 23, 2024.
  22. ^ Trister, Noah. "Jackson Holliday's bases-loaded double lifts the Orioles to a 3–2 victory over Houston," The Associated Press (AP), Saturday, August 24, 2024. Retrieved August 24, 2024.
  23. ^ Campbell, Dave. "Orioles power into playoffs on HRs by McCann, Kjerstad for 6–2 win to finish sweep of Twins," The Associated Press (AP), Sunday, September 29, 2024. Retrieved September 30, 2024.
  24. ^ Kostka, Andy (July 28, 2024). "Brothers Robert and Albert Suárez won't forget this Padres-Orioles series". The Baltimore Banner. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
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