Wander Suero elected free agency after being outrighted by the Los Angeles Dodgers, which clears up a spot on the current 40-man roster and begins the early offseason of player movement after another National League Division Series loss.
Because the veteran right-hander had been designated for assignment earlier in the season, he was able to elect free agency.
He joined the Dodgers on a Minor League contract last January, coming into the season having pitched in parts of three seasons with the Washington Nationals from 2018-2021 and a full season within the Los Angeles Angels’ Minor League system in 2022.
Suero played a similar role for the Dodgers this year, pitching in 47 games for Triple-A Oklahoma City while posting a 3.26 ERA over 49.2 innings. His stellar numbers in the Pacific Coast League earned him a multiple call-ups, twice being added to the Major League roster.
It was his first taste of MLB in two seasons, and over the course of the year he allowed seven runs over eight innings pitched (five appearances). The big reliever punched out nine hitters in limited work, logging his last outing on September 10 against the Washington Nationals.
Suero unfortunately went down with lower back tightness, which sidelined him down the stretch.
The 32-year-old would spend the remainder of the year on a rehab assignment in OKC. He joined the list of Dodgers relievers who hit the injured list, placing a need on their young arms to carry a lot of the load, including bulk assignments.
What’s next for Wander Suero?
The five-year MLB veteran is certain to get another shot with a club heading into next season because of the need for pitching around the league.
Although his chances of receiving a Major League contract might be slim, a Minor League deal with an invitation to Spring Training is the best case scenario. There’s some stuff to like about how Suero performed in 2023 at both levels, but he’ll need to find a way to strikeout more hitters while limiting walks.
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