José Suarez Bio
José Rances Suárez Quintero (born January 3, 1998) is a Venezuelan professional baseball pitcher who has played in Major League Baseball (MLB). A left-handed starter and reliever, he has suited up for the Los Angeles Angels, Atlanta Braves, and Seattle Mariners. He is currently a member of the Athletics organization.
Born in Naguanagua, Venezuela, Suárez came up through the Angels’ developmental pipeline after signing as a 16-year-old international free agent. Across his MLB career, he has logged 23 wins against 31 losses with a 5.31 earned run average (ERA) and 407 strikeouts. He is best remembered for a complete game he tossed in 2021 and a steady stretch of innings through 2022.
Early Life and Background
José Rances Suárez Quintero was born on January 3, 1998, in Naguanagua, a city in Carabobo State, Venezuela. Like many of his countrymen, he grew up surrounded by the country’s deep baseball culture, where the sport serves as a daily pastime for young athletes. Venezuela has long produced MLB-caliber pitchers, and Suárez emerged from that tradition of developed arms.
As a teenager, Suárez drew attention from international scouts for his projectable frame and feel for pitching. That exposure led the Los Angeles Angels to sign him as an international free agent on July 3, 2014, when he was just 16 years old. The agreement launched his professional career and set the stage for a multi-year climb through the minor leagues.
Path to Baseball
Suárez began his professional career in the Angels’ Dominican Summer League affiliate in 2015, where he posted a combined 3-3 record and a 2.97 ERA across 15 games and 13 starts. The following year, he moved between the Arizona League Angels and the Orem Owlz, going 1-4 with a 4.84 ERA in 12 appearances as he adjusted to longer innings. The 2017 season brought a turnaround, with Suárez pitching to a 6-1 record and 3.28 ERA across 15 starts for the Arizona League Angels and the Burlington Bees.
In 2018, Suárez was promoted to higher levels of the Angels’ farm system, splitting time between the Inland Empire 66ers, Mobile BayBears, and Salt Lake Bees. Across 26 starts, he recorded a 3-6 record with a 3.92 ERA, showing enough consistency for the Angels to add him to their 40-man roster after the season. That winter, he prepared for his first major league opportunity.
José Suarez Career
Early Career (2019–2020)
Suárez opened the 2019 season on the injured list with shoulder soreness and was assigned to Salt Lake before being promoted to the majors on June 2 to start against the Seattle Mariners. He picked up his first major league win in that debut outing, a milestone moment for the young Venezuelan. He finished 2019 with a 7.11 ERA in 81 innings, allowing 23 home runs while learning the pace of the big leagues.
The shortened 2020 season was a difficult one. Suárez recorded a 38.57 ERA across two starts spanning just over two innings before being optioned out of the big-league rotation. He used the time in the minors to refine his mechanics and rebuild confidence heading into 2021.
Los Angeles Angels Breakthrough (2021–2022)
Suárez made his first appearance of 2021 on May 10 against the Houston Astros, pitching four innings and allowing one run. He earned the nod as the starting pitcher in the 2021 MLB Little League Classic, striking out four in four innings against the Cleveland Indians. His most celebrated moment came on September 4, 2021, when he threw his first career complete game against the Texas Rangers, allowing one run and striking out eight. He finished 2021 with an 8-8 record and a 3.75 ERA in 98⅓ innings.
In 2022, Suárez made 22 appearances, including 20 starts, going 8-8 with a 3.96 ERA and 103 strikeouts in 109 innings. The season marked his second straight 8-8 finish with a sub-4.00 ERA, and he set new career highs in both strikeouts and innings pitched. That two-year run established him as a reliable member of the Angels’ pitching staff.
Late Angels Tenure and Atlanta Braves Era (2023–2026)
Suárez struggled out of the rotation in 2023, posting a 7.89 ERA across his first five starts before a left shoulder strain sent him to the injured list in May. He was transferred to the 60-day injured list in June and activated only in September, ending a frustrating year. In 2024, he made 18 appearances for the Angels with an 8.15 ERA before being designated for assignment in June, clearing waivers, and returning to Salt Lake. The Angels selected his contract again in September to close the year.
On March 23, 2025, the Angels traded Suárez to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for Ian Anderson. After being designated for assignment and clearing waivers in April, he was outrighted to Triple-A Gwinnett before the Braves brought him back in September. In seven appearances with Atlanta, he went 2-0 with a 1.86 ERA, 16 strikeouts, and one save in 19⅓ innings, flashing the form that had defined his better Angels seasons.
Notable Events and Milestones
Suárez’s signature MLB moment remains his first complete game on September 4, 2021, against the Texas Rangers, a one-run, eight-strikeout gem. He also earned the start in the 2021 MLB Little League Classic, one of the league’s most distinctive annual showcases. Reaching the 100-inning plateau for the first time in 2022 marked another personal benchmark in his career.
José Suarez Career Wins
Through his MLB career, Suárez has compiled 23 wins, including a career-high eight-win season in both 2021 and 2022 with the Angels. His first major league win came in his debut start against the Seattle Mariners on June 2, 2019. He added two more wins with the Braves in 2025 in a short, sharp stretch out of the bullpen.
Los Angeles Angels Highlights
Across six seasons with the Angels from 2019 to 2024, Suárez logged the bulk of his innings and his two 8-win seasons. His 2022 campaign was his most complete, with 109 innings of work and a 3.96 ERA. His September 4, 2021 complete game stands as the defining single performance of his Angels tenure.
Other Wins and Performances
With the Atlanta Braves in 2025, Suárez made seven appearances, including one start, and went 2-0 with a 1.86 ERA, 16 strikeouts, and a save in 19⅓ innings. He has not recorded a major league win with the Seattle Mariners or Athletics, and his opportunities with both clubs have been limited to relief work.
José Suarez Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Suárez was born and raised in Naguanagua, Venezuela, the kind of baseball-rich community that has produced numerous big-league players. He keeps most details of his family life private, and his parents have not been publicly identified in available records.
Personal Life
Suárez focuses his public profile on his career as a professional pitcher. He has not publicly disclosed marital status, a spouse, or children, and he keeps his personal residence private. His early move from Venezuela to the United States at age 16 marked a significant transition in his young life.
2025 Season Performance
Suárez’s 2025 season began with a March trade from the Angels to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for Ian Anderson. A brief designation for assignment in April led to a stint in Triple-A Gwinnett before the Braves recalled him in September. Across seven appearances, he was dominant, going 2-0 with a 1.86 ERA, 16 strikeouts, and a save in 19⅓ innings. The late-season surge offered a clear reminder of his capabilities when used in shorter roles.
On January 15, 2026, Suárez was claimed off waivers by the Baltimore Orioles, designated for assignment a week later, and reclaimed by the Braves on January 26. He struggled to a 6.61 ERA in eight appearances for Atlanta before being designated for assignment again on May 1, 2026. The Mariners claimed him on May 3, the Braves were his last full-season employer in 2025, and the season underscored how roster churn has shaped his journeyman path.