ROBERT SÚAREZ, RP
Position: RP B/T: R/R
Age: 34 (3/1/1991)
2025 Traditional Stats: 70 G, 56 GF, 0 HLD, 40- SV, 4 BS, 69.2 IP, 4-6, 2.97 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, 75 SO, 16 BB
2025 Advanced Stats: 144 ERA+, 27.9% K%, 5.9% BB%, 3.66 xERA, 2.88 FIP, 3.33 xFIP, 2.3 bWAR, 1.9 fWAR
RUNDOWN
Robert Suarez did not reach Major League Baseball until 2022, at age 31. He had previously pitched in the Mexican League and the Nippon Professional Baseball League. Over four seasons with the Padres, he has pitched to a 2.91 ERA and 0.981 WHIP. He cemented himself as their closer in 2024 and has amassed 70 saves in his major league career.
In 2025, he had arguably his best season yet. He set his major league career high in 69 2/3 innings pitched, accumulated his most saves in a season at 40, posted his best WHIP at 0.904, had his lowest walk rate at 5.9%, his lowest FIP at 2.88, and posted career bests in fWAR (1.9) and bWAR (2.3).
Suarez throws primarily three pitches – a 98.6 MPH four-seam fastball, a 90.5 MPH changeup, and a 98.5 MPH sinker. He has a plus extension at 6.9 feet, which makes batters perceive his pitches as faster than they actually are. His fastball has plus vertical movement at 18.1 iBV and last year generated a 26.6% chase rate and a 24% whiff rate. His changeup generated the most whiffs of his arsenal at 32.8% and his sinker generated the most chases at 39.7%. His ability to tunnel these two pitches allowed him to work them off each other, leading to that chase-and-whiff combo. Meanwhile, his four-seam fastball was his primary put-away pitch at 23%.
CONTRACT
MLB Trade Rumors projects a three-year deal worth $48 million for Robert Suarez. This is right in the same range as the deal Devin Williams signed for, entering his age-35 season. Suarez is four years older than Williams, who is entering his age-31 season.
RECOMMENDATION: WORTH CHECKING IN
When I first started writing this, the Mets were still in need of a closer. The Mets have since signed Devin Williams, and signing another high-end reliever is more of a luxury than a necessity. But at the right price, if the Mets do not bring back Edwin Diaz, Williams and Suarez could provide a lethal one-two punch at the back of the bullpen.
