Albert Suárez Bio
Albert Joe Suárez Subero, known professionally as Albert Suárez, is a Venezuelan professional baseball pitcher who has built a long career across multiple leagues and continents. Born on October 8, 1989, he currently pitches in the Baltimore Orioles organization of Major League Baseball (MLB), where he wears jersey number 49. Suárez has also played in Major League Baseball for the San Francisco Giants, in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows, and in the KBO League for the Samsung Lions, making him one of the more well-traveled international pitchers in the game.
Over the course of his career, Suárez has been recognized for his durability, his ability to adjust to new leagues, and his late-inning reliability. A Japan Series champion with the Tokyo Yakult Swallows in 2021, he has continued to reinvent his game as he has moved between organizations and countries. His path from a teenage signing with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays to a veteran presence in Baltimore reflects both patience and persistence.
Early Life and Background
Albert Joe Suárez Subero was born on October 8, 1989, and grew up in Venezuela, a country with a deep tradition of producing major league pitching talent. From a young age, he was drawn to baseball, and his development within the Venezuelan amateur system helped prepare him for the demands of professional play. His older brother, Robert Suárez, also became a professional pitcher and currently pitches in Major League Baseball, giving the family a notable baseball lineage that shaped Albert’s approach to the sport.
Suárez came of age during a period when many Venezuelan pitchers were signing with Major League organizations as international free agents. He drew early attention for his frame, his arm action, and his feel for pitching on the mound. Those traits convinced the Tampa Bay Devil Rays to sign him to his first professional contract, and they set the foundation for a career that would eventually span four different professional leagues.
Path to Professional Baseball
On July 2, 2006, Suárez signed with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays organization as an international free agent. He officially began his professional career in 2008 with the rookie-level Princeton Rays, where he went 0-2 with a 3.92 ERA and 37 strikeouts in 11 games, including nine starts. The following year, he pitched for the Low-A Hudson Valley Renegades, going a combined 1-0 with a 2.79 ERA and four strikeouts in two starts.
In 2010, Suárez split time between the rookie-level Gulf Coast League Rays and the Single-A Bowling Green Hot Rods, going a combined 2-5 with a 3.38 ERA and 38 strikeouts in 15 games. The Rays added him to their 40-man roster on November 19, 2010, to protect him from the Rule 5 draft. After a 2011 split between the GCL Rays and the High-A Charlotte Stone Crabs and a 2012 season with Charlotte in which he went 5-9 with a 4.08 ERA, Tampa Bay designated him for assignment on August 31, 2012. He cleared waivers and continued in the minor leagues before electing free agency in November 2013 and quickly re-signing with the organization.
Albert Suárez Career
Early Career (2014–2015)
After spending 2014 with Charlotte and Montgomery, Suárez signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on November 24, 2014, that included an invitation to Spring Training. He was assigned to the Double-A Arkansas Travelers to begin the 2015 season. With Arkansas, he went 11-9 with a 2.98 ERA and a career-high 121 strikeouts across 27 starts, earning a 2015 Texas League Mid-Season All-Star selection. He elected free agency on November 6, 2015.
Eleven days later, on November 18, 2015, Suárez signed a minor league contract with the San Francisco Giants organization, again receiving an invitation to major league spring training. He was assigned to the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats to begin the 2016 season, posting a 1-2 record with a 2.88 ERA before earning his first promotion to the major leagues on May 6, 2016.
San Francisco Giants Era (2016–2017)
Suárez made his Major League debut on May 8, 2016, pitching one scoreless inning in relief against the Colorado Rockies. Three days later, on May 11, he earned his first major league win against the Toronto Blue Jays by pitching a scoreless top of the 13th inning and escaping a bases-loaded jam by inducing José Bautista to pop out. He made his first major league start on June 1, 2016, against the Atlanta Braves, allowing three runs over five innings while also collecting his first major league hit and run batted in on an infield single off Ian Krol.
Suárez finished his rookie season with a 3-5 record and a 4.29 ERA in 22 appearances for the Giants. In 2017, he logged an 0-3 record and a 5.12 ERA with 34 strikeouts across 18 appearances. The Giants non-tendered him on December 1, 2017, making him a free agent, though he re-signed with the club on a minor league deal on December 10. He was then selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the Rule 5 draft on December 14, 2017, designated for assignment in March 2018, and sent outright to the Triple-A Reno Aces, where he spent the rest of the year before electing free agency in October.
Tokyo Yakult Swallows Era (2019–2021)
On December 12, 2018, Suárez signed with the Tokyo Yakult Swallows of Nippon Professional Baseball, beginning the international phase of his career. In his first NPB season, he finished with a 1.53 ERA and 12 strikeouts in four appearances. The following year, he appeared in 12 games, posting a 4-4 record and a 2.67 ERA with 52 strikeouts across 67 and one-third innings pitched.
Suárez pitched for Yakult through 2021 and was part of the team’s run to the Japan Series title that year, earning recognition as a Japan Series champion. His time in Japan helped him refine his command and allowed him to take on a more prominent role as a starter. Across his NPB career with the Swallows, Suárez compiled a 10-8 record with a 3.00 ERA and 134 strikeouts.
Samsung Lions Era (2022–2023)
On December 7, 2021, Suárez signed with the Samsung Lions of the KBO League in South Korea. In 30 games, including 29 starts, during the 2022 season, he registered a 6-8 record and a 2.49 ERA with 159 strikeouts across 173 and two-thirds innings. He re-signed with Samsung on a one-year, $1.3 million contract on December 7, 2022, for the 2023 campaign.
In 2023, Suárez made 19 starts for the Lions, posting a 4-7 record and a 3.92 ERA with 88 strikeouts in 108 innings. After suffering a left calf injury that kept him out for roughly a month, he was released by Samsung on August 10, 2023. Across his two KBO seasons, Suárez recorded a 10-15 mark with a 3.04 ERA and 247 strikeouts.
Baltimore Orioles Era (2024–Present)
On September 15, 2023, Suárez signed a minor league contract with the Baltimore Orioles organization. He was assigned to the Triple-A Norfolk Tides to begin the 2024 season before being added to the major league roster on April 17, 2024. In his first start that day, he struck out the first batter he faced in the majors since September 26, 2017, and delivered five and two-thirds shutout innings. He earned another win on April 22 with five and two-thirds shutout innings in a 4-2 victory over the Los Angeles Angels, marking his first MLB win since June 23, 2016. The 2,860-day gap between those victories was the second-longest since the 1950s, trailing only Travis Blackley’s 2,906 days between 2004 and 2012.
Suárez put together a streak of three straight scoreless starts before Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve broke it with a leadoff home run on August 24, 2024. He set a career high with 133 and two-thirds innings pitched and finished the regular season at 9-7 with a 3.70 ERA and 108 strikeouts. In 2025, he made one appearance before being placed on the injured list with right shoulder inflammation on March 30. After a brief activation, he ended the season at 2-0 with a 2.31 ERA across 11 and two-thirds innings and 10 strikeouts over five games before right elbow discomfort sent him back to the injured list. On November 21, 2025, he was non-tendered by Baltimore and became a free agent, before re-signing with the Orioles on a minor league contract on December 17, 2025.
Driving Style and Strengths
Suárez is known as a contact-oriented pitcher who thrives on keeping the ball in the strike zone and inducing weak contact rather than relying on overpowering velocity. Across his time in the majors, minors, NPB, and KBO, he has shown an ability to adjust his pitch mix and tempo to suit his environment, an asset that has allowed him to remain effective well into his thirties. His poise in high-leverage moments, including his long gap between major league wins and his late-inning work in Baltimore, has become a defining trait of his career.
Notable Events and Milestones
Suárez’s signature moments include his 2021 Japan Series championship with the Tokyo Yakult Swallows, his Major League debut with the San Francisco Giants on May 8, 2016, and his record-setting gap between major league wins while with the Baltimore Orioles in 2024. Through June 8, 2026, his MLB career totals included a 16-15 win-loss record, a 4.00 ERA, and 224 strikeouts.
Albert Suárez Career Wins
Suárez has accumulated victories across several leagues, including MLB, NPB, and the KBO. In Major League Baseball, his most recent win came in 2025 with the Baltimore Orioles. In NPB, he contributed to the Tokyo Yakult Swallows’ championship run in 2021 and recorded a 10-8 record over his time in Japan. In the KBO League, he posted a 10-15 record across two seasons with the Samsung Lions. His win totals reflect his role as a reliable innings-eater rather than a top-of-the-rotation ace.
Major League Highlights
Suárez’s major league career began with the San Francisco Giants in 2016, when he earned his first win in dramatic fashion against the Toronto Blue Jays. After returning to the majors with the Baltimore Orioles in 2024, he produced a 9-7 record in his first full season back, including a milestone victory on April 22 that ended one of the longest win droughts in modern MLB history. Through the 2026 season, he has continued to contribute as a depth starter and long reliever for Baltimore.
International Highlights
Suárez’s international résumé is highlighted by his 2021 Japan Series title with the Tokyo Yakult Swallows and his work as a frontline starter for the Samsung Lions in the KBO League. His consistent strikeout totals in both leagues underscored his ability to miss bats outside of Major League Baseball.
Albert Suárez Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Albert Suárez comes from a Venezuelan family with a strong baseball tradition. His brother, Robert Suárez, is also a professional pitcher who has competed in Major League Baseball, giving the Suárez family a notable presence in the sport.
Personal Life
Suárez has spent much of his adult life moving between Venezuela and the various countries where his baseball career has taken him, including the United States, Japan, and South Korea. His international travels have given him a broad perspective on the game and on life as a professional athlete.
2025 Season Performance
Suárez’s 2025 campaign with the Baltimore Orioles was brief and interrupted by injury. After making one early appearance, he was placed on the injured list on March 30 with right shoulder inflammation and was later transferred to the 60-day injured list on April 7. He was activated on September 1 and returned to the mound the next day, pitching two shutout innings to close out a 6-2 road win over the San Diego Padres.
His only start of the year came on September 14 against the Toronto Blue Jays, where he was pulled because of right elbow discomfort during an 11-2 loss and returned to the injured list the next day. Across five games and eleven and two-thirds innings, he finished the regular season with a 2-0 record, a 2.31 ERA, and ten strikeouts. The Orioles non-tendered him on November 21, 2025, before re-signing him to a minor league deal on December 17, 2025.