After spending two injury-marred seasons in a setup role, Suarez remained healthy and emerged as the Padres closer. The 33-year-old was outstanding, racking up nine wins (T-2nd among relievers), 36 saves (4th in the league) and an 81.8 percent team save share that was 6th-highest among closers. He was named NL Reliever of the Month for May and earned his first All-Star selection. Suarez wasn't sharp in the second half, but still finished with a respectable 2.77 ERA and 1.05 WHIP for the season. Perhaps most impressively, he signficantly improved his walk rate, cutting it by three percentage points. This may be attributed to a pitch mix change, as Suarez went fastball-heavy (71 percent usage) while completely abandoning his slider. The right-hander displayed improved velocity on his four-seamer, averaging 99.1 miles per hour on the pitch compared to 97.7 in 2023. As long as health persists for Suarez, he's the favorite to retain closing duties for San Diego in 2025. Read Past Outlooks