CINCINNATI -- For the first two innings on Tuesday night, Ranger Suárez looked like the near-untouchable pitcher he was for most of May and all of June -- plus, the first half of last year.
He needed only 12 pitches to retire the first six batters. All but one of those pitches were strikes.
For the rest of his night, however, Suárez looked more like the pitcher who has had his struggles over the past month -- not to mention the second half of last season.
"He says he's fine," manager Rob Thomson said following the Phillies' 6-1 loss to the Reds at Great American Ball Park.
Yet even with those two ultra-quick perfect frames, Suárez lasted only 5 1/3 innings. He allowed six runs off a season-high 10 hits. He has now allowed 11 runs off 19 hits over 11 2/3 innings in his past two starts.
After cruising to a 2.15 ERA prior in the first half, he has a 6.59 ERA in five starts since the All-Star break.
Despite saying he's "fine," could there be something physically hindering Suárez?
"Other than fatigue, I don't think so," Thomson said. "Because he hasn't complained of anything. That's the only thing I can really attribute it to."
Suárez, meanwhile, says it isn't anything physical at all.
"No, I wouldn't say it's fatigue," he said via a team interpreter. "I feel good actually. I know I've had a couple rough starts and everyone is wondering if it could be fatigue, but it's not."
During his disappointing second half last season, Suárez missed a month around this same time due to lower back soreness. He also missed the first month of this season due to lower back stiffness. He mentioned previously that he "wasn't feeling 100%" during his June 29 start in Atlanta, citing his shoulder and his back.
If not fatigue, could it be his back?
"I feel good. I feel way better," Suárez said. "Atlanta was one of those days where you're like, 'Oh, this is what I have [today].' Afterwards, and the starts since that one, I've felt way better.
Still, the Phillies are looking for answers.
One potential solution could be buying Suárez some extra rest. That's made possible by the impending return of Aaron Nola, who struck out 11 batters over 5 2/3 innings for Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Tuesday night.
Nola is lined up to return to the Phillies' rotation on Sunday.
"We'll see, we'll see," Thomson said when asked about the possibility of limiting Suárez's innings before shifting -- unprompted -- to Nola. "Nola had a good night tonight, so we'll see how he feels tomorrow.
" ... Maybe we go to a six-man or bump [Suárez for a start] or something."
This isn't the first time the Phillies have had to navigate something like this with Suárez.
The left-hander was an NL Cy Young frontrunner for the majority of the first half of last season. He raced out to one of the best starts in MLB history last year, going 10-1 with a 1.75 ERA through his first 15 outings. That was the best ERA by any Phillies starter through 15 starts since the mound was lowered in 1969.
But he went just 2-7 with a 6.17 ERA over his final 12 outings. Over the past two seasons, Suárez is 3-7 with a 6.06 ERA in 13 second-half starts. He's 17-7 with a 2.50 ERA in 32 first-half starts.
And though Suárez isn't a velocity pitcher by any means, it's still worth noting a recent trend.
Suárez's sinker averaged 89.6 mph against the Reds. It was his fifth straight start -- and seventh in his past eight -- in which his sinker sat below 90 mph. It averaged above 90 mph in nine of his first 10 outings this year prior to this eight-start stretch.
This eight-start stretch began with that aforementioned start in Atlanta.
"I felt good," Suárez said again. "I felt better than last time out. Overall, I felt better."
Regardless, he was visibly frustrated on the mound.
The always unflappable Suárez expressed his displeasure with multiple borderline calls by the home-plate umpire. He even gestured after one of those calls to what proved to be his final batter. He had a long conversation with the third-base umpire as he walked off the field.
“I think I [was] just mentally blocked at that point and stopped trying to execute those pitches,” Suárez said. “I was just throwing the ball.”
It was uncharacteristic given his stoic nature.
“I think because of his last few outings, he wants to do well, and maybe he’s just off a little bit,” Thomson said. “He’s got to shut that down.”
Suárez will likely have an extra day -- if not more -- to figure it out.