"He hadn't had an xFIP below 4.00 over a season in a while (2022, which was the only time it happened). His ERAs over the past couple seasons were over 6.00 and over 8.00. He was a career 127/116/111 guy across 376 2/3 innings as a swingman type, with a couple of reasonable seasons (2.9 fWAR combined in 207 1/3 innings in 2021-2022) totally negated by an awful 2023 (-0.5 fWAR in 33 2/3 innings) and a better-but-still-not-useful 2024 (0.1 fWAR in 52 1/3 innings)."
"They were probably just hoping for a functioning lefty reliever. Steamer had him as a below-average long reliever type before the season; ZiPS was more positive as kind of a fourth/fifth starter-quality swingman guy. It seemed, at best, that with proper usage, maybe he could be a not-bad lefty innings-eating reliever that wouldn't get totally destroyed any time he faced a righty, but that's about it."
Jose Suarez was traded from the Angels to the Braves before Opening Day after spending his entire professional career with the Angels since signing in 2014. He entered the season with minimal expectations as a left-handed swingman, carrying poor recent peripherals and very high ERAs. Projection systems differed, with Steamer viewing him as a below-average long reliever and ZiPS projecting fourth/fifth starter-quality value. Suarez struggled in his first appearances but ultimately posted a 1.86 ERA and finished the season with a 44/91/106 line. His career totals included 127/116/111 across 376 2/3 innings, 2.9 combined fWAR in 2021-2022, -0.5 fWAR in 2023, and 0.1 fWAR in 2024.
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