Albert Suárez stepped in from Triple-A to pitch three innings of one-run relief, securing a save in the Baltimore Orioles' 8-3 victory over the Texas Rangers at Camden Yards. The 36-year-old right-hander flew in from Memphis early Wednesday morning after the bullpen was strained from recent heavy usage. Manager Craig Albernaz praised Suárez's reliability and preparedness.
The Orioles called up Suárez on Wednesday following Zach Eflin's early exit due to right elbow discomfort in his season debut the previous night. Starter Trevor Rogers allowed two runs over six innings, setting the stage for Suárez to close out the game in the 12:35 p.m. ET matchup, the sixth of the season during Baltimore's opening homestand. He permitted one run across his three frames, helping preserve the win against Texas at Camden Yards. “I was mentally prepared. I come here to do whatever it takes to win a game,” Suárez said. Suárez, who arrived at the ballpark around 10:15 a.m. ET after a 6 a.m. flight from Memphis, where Triple-A Norfolk was playing, has a history of filling in for Baltimore. Last August 6, he replaced an injured Grayson Rodriguez and threw five scoreless innings against the Toronto Blue Jays as a reliever. His path to reliability includes stints with the San Francisco Giants in 2016-17, Japan from 2019-21, and Korea in 2022-23 before the Orioles signed him to a minor-league deal in September 2023. After a strong 2024 season with a 3.70 ERA in 32 appearances and injuries limiting him to five games in 2025, Baltimore non-tendered then re-signed him last December. Manager Craig Albernaz, in his first year leading the Orioles and a former Rays minor-league teammate of Suárez from 2008-13, highlighted his value. “That’s something that we reiterated to him multiple times, just the value that he brings to us in the organization,” Albernaz said. Suárez added, “During the offseason, the Orioles showed me they wanted me back. And then, I also wanted to stay here.”
