Albert Suárez

3.1. Minor League Career

Suárez began his professional career in 2008 within the Tampa Bay Rays' minor league system. He played for the rookie-level Princeton Rays and the Low-A Hudson Valley Renegades in his early years. In 2010, he split his time between the GCL Rays and the Single-A Bowling Green Hot Rods. On November 19, 2010, the Rays added him to their 40-man roster. He continued his progression through the Rays' affiliates, including the High-A Charlotte Stone Crabs and Double-A Montgomery Biscuits. In 2009, he underwent Tommy John surgery. On August 31, 2012, Suárez was designated for assignment by Tampa Bay but cleared waivers and was assigned to Double-A. He elected free agency on November 4, 2013, but quickly re-signed with the Rays on a new minor league contract on November 12. In 2014, he posted a combined 4-6 record with a 3.60 ERA in 14 starts across Charlotte and Montgomery.

On November 24, 2014, Suárez signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, which included an invitation to Spring Training. He started the 2015 season with the Double-A Arkansas Travelers, where he compiled an 11-9 record with a 2.98 ERA in 27 starts, earning him a 2015 Texas League Mid-Season All-Star selection. He elected free agency on November 6, 2015.

After a brief return to the minor league system with the Arizona Diamondbacks following his MLB debut, Suárez was outrighted to the Triple-A Reno Aces on March 27, 2018, after being designated for assignment. He spent that year with Reno, recording a 4.97 ERA with 51 strikeouts in 63.1 innings. He elected free agency on October 11, 2018. In September 2023, he signed a minor league contract with the Baltimore Orioles organization and was assigned to the Triple-A Norfolk Tides to begin the 2024 season.

3.2. Major League Baseball (MLB)

Suárez signed a minor league contract with the San Francisco Giants on November 18, 2015, which included an invitation to major league spring training. He began the 2016 season with the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats, where he held a 1-2 record with a 2.88 ERA. On May 6, 2016, he was promoted to the major leagues for the first time.

Suárez made his MLB debut on May 8, 2016, pitching one scoreless inning in relief against the Colorado Rockies. He earned his first major league win on May 11, pitching a scoreless top of the 13th inning against the Toronto Blue Jays, escaping a bases-loaded jam by inducing José Bautista to pop out. His first major league start came on June 1, 2016, against the Atlanta Braves, where he allowed 3 runs in 5 innings. In that game, he also recorded his first major league hit and RBI with an infield single off Ian Krol. He concluded his rookie season with a 3-5 record and a 4.29 ERA in 22 appearances. In 2017, Suárez pitched in 18 games for the Giants, logging an 0-3 record and a 5.12 ERA with 34 strikeouts. On December 1, 2017, the Giants non-tendered Suárez, but he re-signed with the team on a minor league contract on December 10.

On December 14, 2017, Suárez was selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the Rule 5 draft. However, he was designated for assignment by Arizona on March 24, 2018, and was outrighted back to Triple-A.

Suárez made a notable return to MLB on April 17, 2024, when the Baltimore Orioles added him to their major league roster. He started that day's game and struck out the first batter he faced in the majors since September 26, 2017, en route to 5 and 2/3 shutout innings. He pitched an additional 5 and 2/3 shutout innings in a 4-2 away victory over the Los Angeles Angels on April 22, earning his first MLB win since June 23, 2016. The 2,860 days between these two MLB wins represents the second-longest such gap since the 1950s, surpassed only by Travis Blackley's 2,906 days from 2004 to 2012. Suárez had a streak of three straight scoreless starts, which concluded on August 24 when Jose Altuve hit a leadoff home run in the first inning of a 3-2 home victory over the Houston Astros. He pitched a career-high 133 and 2/3 innings and finished the 2024 regular season with a 9-7 record and a 3.70 ERA.

3.3. Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB)

On December 12, 2018, Suárez signed with the Tokyo Yakult Swallows of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), receiving uniform number 70. In his first NPB season in 2019, he recorded a 1.53 ERA in just 4 appearances due to an upper body condition issue on May 15 that sidelined him, delaying his return to the first team until September. He earned his first NPB win on April 25 against the Yomiuri Giants, pitching 6 shutout innings. He also recorded his first NPB hit on May 2 against the Yokohama DeNA BayStars, a right-field single off Shota Imanaga. After the season, he re-signed for the following year and changed his uniform number to 43.

In 2020, Suárez made 12 starts, achieving a 4-4 record with a 2.67 ERA. On October 19, he pitched in the same game as his brother, Robert Suárez, who was playing for the Hanshin Tigers. This marked a historic moment as the first time foreign brothers pitched in the same professional baseball game in Japan. On November 16, he was announced to be remaining with the Swallows, reportedly for an estimated 52.00 M JPY plus incentives.

For the 2021 season, Suárez transitioned to a relief role mid-season. On October 3, he earned his first NPB save against the Hiroshima Toyo Carp. Remarkably, his brother Robert also earned a save on the same day, marking a unique achievement for the siblings. Suárez contributed to the Swallows' 2021 Japan Series championship, making 2 appearances in the series and pitching a total of 2.2 scoreless innings. The Swallows secured their 6th Japan Series title, their first in 20 years, allowing Suárez to experience his first Japan Series championship. On December 2, he was not included on the Swallows' retained player list, signaling his departure from the team.

3.4. KBO League

On December 7, 2021, Suárez signed a contract with the Samsung Lions of the KBO League, replacing Mike Montgomery as a foreign pitcher. In the 2022 season, he made 30 appearances (29 starts), recording a 6-8 record with a 2.49 ERA, which ranked 4th in the league. Despite the low win total, which was attributed to the team's offensive struggles and bullpen issues, he pitched 173 and 2/3 innings (8th in the league and team-high), collected 159 strikeouts (6th in the league), and maintained a 1.16 WHIP (9th in the league), with 19 quality starts (7th in the league). The Lions recognized his valuable contributions and re-signed him for the 2023 season on a one-year contract valued at 1.30 M USD.

In 2023, Suárez made 19 starts for the Lions, posting a 4-7 record with a 3.92 ERA in 108.0 innings. On August 6, during a game against the LG Twins, he sustained a left calf muscle strain and was forced to leave the game. Given that his recovery was estimated to take about a month, the team decided to seek a new foreign pitcher. Consequently, Suárez was released by the Lions on August 10, 2023. He was subsequently replaced by Taylor Widener, who had previously played for the NC Dinos. During his time with the Samsung Lions, Suárez reunited with former teammate David Buchanan and was noted to be a friend of José Pirela, both of whom were also playing in the KBO.

3.5. Venezuelan Winter League

During off-seasons from his main league careers, Albert Suárez has also participated in the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League (LVBP). He played for the Navegantes del Magallanes in 2011 and later rejoined the Leones del Caracas in 2017 and 2023.

6.1. Career Statistics

• Statistics as of the end of the 2024 regular season.

• Statistics as of the end of the 2024 regular season.

6.2. Notable Records

• First NPB Win:** April 25, 2019, against the Yomiuri Giants at Meiji Jingu Stadium, pitching 6 scoreless innings.
• First NPB Strikeout:** April 25, 2019, against Hayato Sakamoto (Yomiuri Giants), in the 3rd inning.
• First NPB Hit:** May 2, 2019, against the Yokohama DeNA BayStars at Yokohama Stadium, a right-field single off Shota Imanaga.
• First NPB Save:** October 3, 2021, against the Hiroshima Toyo Carp at MAZDA Zoom-Zoom Stadium Hiroshima, pitching 1 scoreless inning in relief.
• First Instance of Foreign Brothers Pitching in the Same NPB Game:** October 19, 2020, against the Hanshin Tigers at Hanshin Koshien Stadium, alongside his brother Robert Suárez.
• Brothers Achieving a Save on the Same Day:** October 3, 2021, with his brother Robert Suárez also earning a save on the same day.
• Second-Longest Gap Between MLB Wins Since the 1950s:** 2,860 days, achieved on April 22, 2024, after his win on June 23, 2016.