José Suarez thriving after late-season callup by Angels

HOUSTON — Since having his contract selected from Triple-A Salt Lake on Sept. 9, José Suarez has pitched with confidence — and he’s been getting strong results.

The left-hander surrendered one unearned run — the only run he has allowed in three outings since returning to the Majors — over five innings Thursday night in the Angels’ 3-1 loss to the Astros at Minute Maid Park.

Suarez, who also logged four scoreless innings in relief against the Astros on Friday in Anaheim, has totaled 12 frames in his three September outings.

The difference, so far, for Suarez?

Manager Ron Washington said he’s pitching with “intensity.”

“Every pitch he makes or tries to make, he’s doing it with intent,” Washington said. “That’s something we have been trying to get him to do. He was out there tonight competing, and that’s what it’s about.”

On Thursday, Suarez yielded three hits, with five strikeouts and two walks.

“He battled,” Washington said. “He and [Astros starter Yusei] Kikuchi went head-to-head. He hung in there and gave us what we needed.”

Thursday was Suarez’s second start of the season and first since allowing four runs in 2 2/3 innings at Arizona on June 11.

It was also his longest start since Suarez threw five scoreless innings on April 30, 2023, at Milwaukee.

Through an interpreter, Suarez said that he has more confidence since returning to the Majors this season.

He said that after he was designated for assignment in June and outrighted to Triple-A Salt Lake, he stayed focused, which has led to success in September.

“He’s certainly showing that he was able to take that adversity that happened to him and make it work in his favor, because that’s exactly what he did,” Washington said. “Now, he’s pitching with intent, and that’s what you want all your pitchers to do.”

In Houston, Suarez used mostly a three-pitch combination of 44 four-seam fastballs, 22 changeups and 21 sliders out of his 96 pitches. He got 16 whiffs overall, with nine coming on the slider (on 17 swings).

“He had a good fastball,” Washington said. “He used his changeup quite a bit. He threw some sliders. He pitched out there tonight.”

Washington said Suarez “should get another start,” and the southpaw is ready for it.

“They gave me another opportunity, and I want to take it,” Suarez said.

The Angels were unable to give Suarez much run support against Kikuchi and the Houston bullpen, despite having runners on in four of the first six innings.

Taylor Ward led off the game with a home run to left field. It was his team-leading 25th home run this season and fifth of the leadoff variety.

“When you get down to two strikes, you just battle from there,” Ward said. “You’re open to hitting anything. Right there I was just honestly looking for something in the middle. It started there. Maybe it was a little down, but I put a good swing on it and didn’t miss it.”

Ward became the ninth Angels left fielder with 25 home runs in a season and the first since 2018 — but he is just the third home-grown left fielder to accomplish the feat, joining Garret Anderson and Darin Erstad.

“My goal was 30 initially, but having three or four bad months, I just didn’t do what I was supposed to do,” he said. “Just knowing these cues, these mechanics and taking it into the offseason, I hope to exceed 30 next year.”

Since the start of August, Ward has hit .298, with nine homers and 17 RBIs in 161 at-bats (42 games).

The outfielder credited better mechanics for his late-season success.

“Basically, I cleaned up my lower half,” Ward said. “I am more deliberate. I had a swing, a leg kick, early on that threw me off. Just be more deliberate with that and have a better quality hip load, pretty much. Also, landing more 50-50 in a good hitting position instead of being more back. Really, those two things are something this month that I have been focusing on every day.”

In September alone, Ward is hitting .323 with seven home runs.

“Maybe catching his second wind,” Washington said. “He’s a battler. He’s been battling all year. In the game of baseball, when you play six months, you’re going to have some ups and downs, and he’s putting it back together here in September, and we are looking for him to continue.”