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Robert Suarez isn’t just closing games — he’s helping define the Padres’ postseason mindset. In a thrilling 10-5 extra-innings win over the Diamondbacks on Tuesday, Suarez showcased exactly why San Diego had no interest in moving him at the trade deadline. The veteran closer worked 1 2/3 scoreless innings, stranding inherited runners in the ninth and tenth before the Padres broke the game open with a five-run eleventh.
“Everything was working for me today,” Suarez said through an interpreter. “I was able to navigate around the runners without any problems, and I was able to run up a couple of zeros and help us win the game.”
It was a gritty outing for Suarez, whose ERA since July has dipped thanks to allowing just two earned runs over that stretch. His 15-pitch performance — mixing sinkers, changeups, and four-seamers — earned him his fourth win of the season and reinforced why manager Mike Shildt continues to trust him with the ninth inning.
“Robert’s been that guy for us,” Shildt said postgame. “He was really efficient to hold it right there. He’s more than done his job at the end of the game.”
Padres going for it all after a huge trade deadline
Suarez’s efforts were especially critical after newly acquired setup man Mason Miller gave up a game-tying homer in the eighth. Miller, who hit 104.2 mph on the radar gun — the fastest pitch in Padres history — also served up a 103.9 mph fastball that Lourdes Gurriel Jr. crushed into the stands. It was the fastest pitch turned into a home run since pitch tracking began in 2008.
“Location could have been better, for sure,” Miller admitted. “Ultimately, the result is what it is. I’m not going to sit here and regret what pitch I threw.”
Still, Miller’s electric stuff and Suarez’s steady hand form a late-game duo that could define the Padres’ October ambitions. San Diego made several upgrades at the deadline, but held firm on keeping Suarez and Dylan Cease despite league-wide interest.
“The Padres never had any intention of trading closer Robert Suarez,” Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported, adding that Cease was never close to being moved either.
That vote of confidence is not lost on Suarez, who has emerged as a leader in a bullpen stacked with 2025 All-Stars like Jason Adam, Adrian Morejon, and Jeremiah Estrada. Even with Miller now in the mix, Suarez remains the anchor.
“The mentality is there,” Suarez said. “Whenever the team needs me to go out and pitch a little bit more, I’m prepared to do so.”
As for the big picture? Suarez made it clear: “It’s very exciting. Obviously, we’re aiming for the NL West, but our main goal is to be in the playoffs.”
With the rotation deeper and the bullpen looking like the best in baseball, the Padres are poised for a serious run — and Robert Suarez is right at the heart of it.
