The Phillies have an abundance of starting pitching. They might have to turn one of those arms into a short-term reliever.

Can the Philadelphia Phillies once great starter finally turn his season around against the Pittsburgh Pirates?

Left-hander Ranger Suarez will try to build on what manager Rob Thomson called a "fantastic" start when he takes the mound Friday night against the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates in the opener of a three-game series.

Suarez (2-0) earned the win over the Pirates on Friday, giving up three earned runs on six hits and a walk while striking out six batters across seven innings.

The Philadelphia Phillies aren't firing on all cylinders this season, but they're starting to stack up wins. Through seven weeks of the regular season, the Phillies are 28-18, only half a game back of first place in the competitive National League East.

Harper homered during Philadelphia's six-run eighth inning, Suárez allowed only three hits over seven scoreless innings and the Phillies defeated the Cleveland Guardians 7-1.

Because while the Phillies held tight to a one-run lead in an eventual 7-1 victory over the Guardians, Suárez controlled the game for seven innings. Even when a replay review upheld the safe call on the field, keeping Ramírez at second base, Suárez struck out Kyle Manzardo on the next pitch to preserve a one-run lead.