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Robert Suarez of the San Diego Padres has been named the National League Reliever of the Month for March/April. The announcement was made Friday on MLB Network.
Suarez claimed his second career Reliever of the Month Award after winning last May. He became one of seven Padre pitchers to earn the honor, joining Trevor Hoffman (May 2005, September 2006, May 2007); Heath Bell (April 2009); Brad Hand (July 2017, May 2018); Kirby Yates (April 2019); Mark Melancon (April 2021); and Josh Hader (April 2023).
Suarez, 34, compiled a 0.64 ERA while converting each of his 12 save opportunities across 14 appearances to begin the season. In 14 innings pitched, the Venezuela native allowed only one run on five hits with three walks and 16 strikeouts while limiting opponents to a .106 batting average.
Suarez's 12 saves rank first in the Majors. His .106 opponents’ batting average is third in the NL and tied for fifth in MLB among all pitchers with at least 14 innings pitched.
According to MLB, Suarez became the fifth Padres pitcher to reach at least 10 saves in March/April, and the first to accomplish the feat twice following his 10 saves to open the 2024 season.
Other San Diego relievers to reach 10 saves before the start of May in a single season include Yates (14 in 2019); Davis (11 in 1989, the year he won the NL Cy Young Award); Hader (10 in 2023); and Huston Street (10 in 2014).
Suarez recorded his 10th save with a perfect ninth inning in the Padres' 2-0 win over the Tigers in Detroit on April 22. His 10th save came in San Diego’s 24th contest of the season, tied for the third-fewest team games to reach 10 saves in a season for a Padres pitcher.
Dating back to last season, Suarez has converted each of his last 15 save opportunities. He began 2025 where he left off in 2024, with six straight hitless appearances — the first pitcher in franchise history to accomplish the feat.
Suarez's stretch of hitless appearances ranks as the third-longest to start the season behind seven hitless appearances from Arizona’s Shelby Miller and an active seven-game stretch from Kansas City’s Steven Cruz.
The Padres signed Suarez to a five-year, $46 million contract in November 2022. He can opt out of the final two years of the contract by declining a player option at the end of this season.
Otherwise, Suarez will be eligible to make $8 million each of the next two years.
For more Padres news, head over to Padres on SI.
More must-reads:
- Brewers place All-Star righty Jacob Misiorowski on 15-day injured list
- Surprising Marlins earn MLB first in sweep of Yankees
- The '250-strikeout MLB seasons' quiz
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White Sox release former All-Star pitcher
The White Sox have released right-handers Noah Syndergaard and Penn Murfee. Syndergaard’s release was announced on Sunday, while Murfee’s MLB.com profile page indicates he was let go on Friday. Syndergaard signed a minor league deal with Chicago in late June, which marked his first contract with any team since he was released by the Guardians in August 2023. Despite some interest from teams during the 2023-24 offseason, Syndergaard ended up not pitching anywhere in 2024, so the Sox started him off with some rookie ball outings just to get acclimated back to game action before reporting to Triple-A Charlotte. Syndergaard had a 2.93 ERA over his 15 1/3 frames of Rookie League work, but then was hit hard for a 10.13 ERA over two outings and eight innings at the Triple-A level. The ugly numbers in Charlotte included only two strikeouts and a rather incredible five homers allowed. While eight innings is obviously a small sample size, it was enough for the White Sox to decide to move on from Syndergaard, putting the former All-Star at yet another career crossroads. Syndergaard turns 33 later this month, and it is fair to wonder if retirement could be a possibility. Despite his past pedigree, the amount of time it took for him to land even a minor league contract could indicate that evaluators simply doubt he can ever regain any of his past effectiveness. A frontline member of the Mets’ pitching staff during his prime years, Syndergaard has never really recovered from a Tommy John surgery that sidelined him for virtually all of the 2020-21 season. He pitched decently well in posting a 3.94 ERA over 134 2/3 innings for the Angels and Phillies in 2022, but rather than approach his old form or at least settle in at a mid-rotation arm, Syndergaard regressed in the form of a 6.50 ERA in 88 2/3 frames with the Dodgers and Guardians in 2023. Murfee is another pitcher whose career was interrupted by a major arm injury. After posting a 2.70 ERA for the Mariners in his first 83 1/3 career big league innings, he underwent UCL surgery in June 2023, and some elbow discomfort kept him from making his return late in the 2024 season as a member of the Astros. The White Sox claimed Murfee off waivers from Houston last November, marking the fourth time in a 13-month period that the right-hander had changed teams on the waiver wire. Murfee made his return to the Show in the form of 12 2/3 innings of 7.82 ball for the White Sox earlier this season. Chicago outrighted the hurler to Triple-A in early May, and while Murfee had a respectable 4.09 ERA over 22 innings for Charlotte, he has recorded more walks (18) than strikeouts (16).
Bills GM says James Cook decision was 'disappointing'
On Monday, Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane responded to James Cook's decision not to practice with the team on Sunday. Cook, who had been practicing with the Bills through training camp until that point amid contract negotiations, told ESPN's Alaina Getzenberg that he made a "business" decision not to practice with his teammates. During an appearance on WGR 550, Beane said the team did not know of Cook's plan until right before practice. He was disappointed that the situation deteriorated to a point where the star running back felt the need to miss a practice. "There's been constant communication between the two sides....at the end of the day I wish we weren't here," Beane said, via WGR's Sal Capaccio. "This is my ninth season and have never had a player miss practice due too a contract, so it's disappointing for me." Beane doesn't believe Cook's negotiations will cause a distraction in the locker room unless players "let it become" a distraction. The negotiations between the Bills and Cook could continue past training camp. "We'd love to keep him, but I have to make sure it all fits under an umbrella, not in a silo... If we don't get something done now it doesn't mean we can't before (Cook) becomes a free agent," Beane said. Cook is looking for a $15 million per year deal after earning his second consecutive Pro Bowl appearance and earning the NFL rushing touchdowns co-leader (tied with Derrick Henry and Jahmyr Gibbs with 16) in 2024. Beane said he isn't taking a hard line on not paying Cook because he's a running back, saying the Bills want to sign him at the "sweet spot." The Bills need the "sweet spot" to come sooner rather than later. It's common for teams to deal with sit-outs and holdouts during the preseason. What Buffalo doesn't want is a distraction during the regular season or postseason, and that could be where this is headed.
Sean Payton's take about Broncos' Super Bowl chances should raise eyebrows
The Denver Broncos haven't won a playoff game since Super Bowl 50. Head coach Sean Payton expects that to change in 2025. Payton won a Super Bowl as New Orleans Saints HC during the 2009 season. He says the 2025 Broncos could do the same. "The short-term goal is winning the division," Payton told Yahoo Sports' Charles Robinson in a story published Sunday. "But this is a team capable of winning the Super Bowl. I've coached six teams that I thought could win the Super Bowl. Some went to championship games, some went to the playoffs. This is my seventh team that I think has that." After losing to the Buffalo Bills 31-7 in the AFC wild-card round last season, the Broncos splurged in free agency. They signed tight end Evan Engram, safety Talanoa Hufanga, linebacker Dre Greenlaw and running back J.K. Dobbins. Greenlaw and Hufanga helped the San Francisco 49ers reach Super Bowl LVIII during the 2023 season. Many of Denver's stars are also returning, including cornerback Patrick Surtain II and quarterback Bo Nix. The second-year passer tossed the league's sixth-most touchdown passes (29 in 17 starts) during his rookie season. Payton thinks that's just a taste of what's to come. "[Nix is] going to be one of the top four or five quarterbacks in the league in the next two years," the coach said. "That's what we're seeing right now. He doesn't take sacks. He's got exceptional arm strength. ... He threw the longest ball — [67] air yards against [the Cincinnati Bengals]. He can run. He can throw in funny body angles." Before placing your bets on Denver, remember it's in the AFC West, which features the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs have made three straight Super Bowl appearances, winning two. Denver's talent could help it compete with Kansas City. In a story published July 21, ESPN's Mike Clay, Aaron Schatz and Seth Walder listed the Broncos' projected starting lineup as the NFL's sixth best. The Chiefs, meanwhile, ranked No. 5. It seems Payton isn't overhyping his team, which could be a Super Bowl sleeper.
Marlins troll Yankees with fitting song amid series sweep
The Miami Marlins turned to good ol’ Neil Diamond to clown on the New York Yankees during their impressive weekend triumph. Miami pulled off an improbable three-game series sweep of the Yankees on Sunday with a 7-3 win at LoanDepot Park in Miami. It marked the sixth consecutive series victory for the Marlins as well as their first-ever three-game sweep of the Yankees in franchise history. As Sunday’s game was nearing the end, the Marlins decided to have some fun. With the Yankees down to their last three outs entering the top of the ninth inning, “Sweet Caroline” began loudly playing inside the ballpark. Here is a video: Of course, “Sweet Caroline” is an anthem of the Boston Red Sox, the hated rivals of the Yankees. The song plays in the eighth inning of every game at Fenway Park. Fittingly enough, the 62-51 Red Sox are officially now ahead of the Yankees in the AL East standings (thanks to the Yankees’ brutal weekend against the Marlins putting them at 60-52). The Yankees only had themselves to blame for their poor weekend showing, piling on several more embarrassing mental mistakes during the series. As for the Marlins though, they are quickly looking like one of the best stories of the second half. After sitting at a dismal 25-41 in mid-June, Miami is suddenly a .500 team again at 55-55 and it has clawed to within 5.5 games back of a wild-card spot in the NL.
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