Suero says "it feels incredible" to get call to the Nats

Last season was right-hander Wander Suero's best as a pro. He went 3-2 with a 1.79 ERA over 54 games and 65 1/3 innings, splitting his time between Double-A Harrisburg and Triple-A Syracuse. In 2017, he was named the Nationals minor league organizational pitcher of the year.

Manager Davey Martinez said they went with Suero now because he is healthy and he has the ability to pitch to both sides of the plate with success. Right-hander Austin Voth was optioned to Syracuse one day after he arrived in D.C. Martinez said they value Voth as a starter and need him to stay on schedule.

"We want Voth to continue pitching, starting and get him back on that every five days," Martinez said. "Suero gives us a little length. He could pitch multiple innings. I like what I saw out of him in spring training so until he got hurt. He's a good fit.

"I like his ability to get lefty hitters and righty hitters out. He's got a really good cutter and he throws strikes and that's what you need coming out of the bullpen."

Suero injured his oblique, slowing down his progress in spring training and then into the start of the season. Martinez said Suero would have had an opportunity to make the 25-man roster out of West Palm Beach if he hadn't suffered the setback.

"It was a nagging oblique injury so we wanted to make sure he's ready and talked to (Syracuse manager) Randy (Knorr) yesterday and he said he's throwing ball really well. He had a shot, yeah, until he got hurt. But I like him. I really do."

Martinez said they like the way Suero goes after hitters, and his frame can be intimidating. Along with the cutter, the Nats also noticed his changeup was causing problems for hitters. At 6-4 and 211 lbs., Suero certainly looks the imposing part of shut down reliever.

"What I've seen out of him is that he's not afraid to get the ball and pitch," Martinez said. "I like the fact that he's not afraid to face the left-handed hitter or the right-handed hitter. Doesn't matter to him and he gets them both out. So, it's just getting him up here and giving him confidence."

For Suero, as one would expect, this is a dream come true. He also says his oblique is fully healed. Suero allowed three runs in his first Syracuse outing, but since then has not allowed a run and just one hit with two strikeouts in three innings his last three games before his call up.

"It feels incredible," Suero said via interpreter Octavio Martinez. "This is our goal, what we work so hard to accomplish to get up here. Now that I am here I am very, very excited and happy. It just feels amazing."

Suero said his family was ecstatic when he told them he was getting the call from the Nats. Suero was born in Sabana Larga, Dominican Republic.

"They cried. They know how much I've worked to get to this point," Suero said through the interpreter. "How long it took to get there. They were very excited for me and very happy that I'm here."

The past month he focused on getting back healthy. His first game with Syracuse was April 21.

"The rehab was great. I feel no discomfort in that same area," he continued. "It took about three weeks from when I started throwing again to where I was in games."

Suero said that the emergence of his cutter in 2017 has made the biggest difference in elevating his game.

"I think one of the biggest keys to my success last year was developing my cutter," Suero said via interpreter. "I was able to control it very well both inside and outside the plate. I think that helped me a lot and gave me the success I had last year and get to this point."

Then he arrived in spring training and the education of how to be a big leaguer continued. The veterans taught him how to stay focused during each outing and not to get flustered if things didn't go his way.

"I think the biggest thing I learned from everyone was how to control my emotions," Suero said via interpreter. "They were all very helpful in giving me tips on how to throw out there and how to control myself and get through certain situations. I think that was the biggest takeaway from spring training."

So, what will it be like when he takes the mound for the first time?

"A lot of things can run through your mind but I think one of the things that's going to run through my mind most is that I worked very hard to get to this point and I got to do the job at hand, whatever it is," he said. "And get the job done out there."