Padres' Robert Suarez: Projected to serve as closer
Suarez is the Padres' projected closer even after the team's addition of Yuki Matsui, Dennis Lin of The Athletic reports.
Matsui was recently inked to a five-year, $28 million contract and is expected to handle high-leverage innings, but Lin still views Suarez as the club's likely closer. Suarez -- who signed a five-year, $46 million deal last offseason to remain with the Padres -- was limited to just 26 appearances in 2023 while battling elbow issues, posting a 4.23 ERA and 24:10 K:BB across 27.2 innings. The 32-year-old ended the season healthy, though, and his 97.7 mph average four-seamer velocity was right in line with what he showed during his stellar 2022 campaign. Whether new manager Mike Shildt plans to name a closer isn't clear, but it would appear Suarez could have the early leg up.
