Amid a tightly contested NL East playoff race, the Philadelphia Phillies delivered a resounding statement Friday night. Entering the night 5.5 games behind the first-place New York Mets, the Phillies tightened the gap with a commanding 8-0 shutout of the Toronto Blue Jays at Citizens Bank Park. Ranger Suárez set the tone with seven scoreless innings, while Kyle Schwarber’s three-run blast fueled the offense and halted Toronto’s red-hot 12-2 stretch in emphatic fashion.

Making his eighth start of the season, Suárez threw seven shutout innings, scattering four singles and a walk while striking out six. His command and pitch mix left Toronto hitters guessing, inducing weak contact all night. It was the latest chapter in a stretch of excellence, as Suárez now owns a 1.17 ERA over his last seven starts — one of the best marks in baseball.

The Athletic’s Charlotte Varnes caught up with Suárez after the win.

“I know what I’m capable of when I’m healthy,” Suárez said through a team interpreter. “I know I’m capable of great things.”

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Meanwhile, the offense supported Suarez early. In the second inning, after doubles by rookie Otto Kemp and Brandon Marsh, Schwarber launched his 22nd home run of the season — a 410-foot shot to dead center — putting the Phillies up 4-0. It was a much-needed breakout for Schwarber, who had cooled off after his tear to start June.

The route didn’t stop there. Kemp, making a strong case for more playing time, added an RBI single in the sixth. Philadelphia tacked on three more in the eighth with contributions from the entire lineup. It was a complete effort, and a much-needed one, as the Phillies aim to stay competitive in the NL East despite injuries to stars like Aaron Nola, Bryce Harper and a suspension to Jose Alvarado.

Shutting out Toronto couldn’t have come at a better time, with Suarez reaching the height of his rhythm, command, and deception. His pitch sequencing left hitters guessing all night, and even a surging Blue Jays lineup looked completely overmatched. Every offering came from the same tunnel, disguising intent and freezing bats with surgical control. It wasn’t just dominance — it was mastery from a pitcher who looks fully in sync, physically sharp, and mentally locked in.

With the rotation dealing with uncertainty and the bullpen taxed, Suárez’s rise could not come at a better time for the Phils.