BOSTON -- Ranger Suarez was just 16 years old when he first signed with the Phillies all the way back in 2012.
Philadelphia was the only Major League franchise he had ever known -- until this season.
Now a member of the Red Sox after signing a five-year, $130 million deal this winter, Suarez is slated to face his former Phillies club for the first time on Thursday night (weather permitting). Given Suarez's 14-year stint with the organization, most Phillies players have spent plenty of time playing behind him -- but few have ever stepped into the batter's box against him.
There are three exceptions on the Phillies' active roster: Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber and Adolis García. Turner, though, is the only one from that trio to have actually gotten a hit off Suarez.
Turner went 3-for-10 against the southpaw during his time with the Nationals and Dodgers, while Schwarber was 0-for-5 with the Cubs and Nats, and García was 0-for-3 in his days with the Rangers.
So, does Turner -- known for his ability to immediately recall previous matchups with just about any pitcher -- remember facing Suarez?
"Actually, I don't," Turner said. "It’s funny because I usually remember all my at-bats, and some of us were talking about how we might face Ranger, and I was like, ‘I remember facing Sanchie -- I think it was his debut -- but I don’t remember facing Ranger.'"
To show just how accurate Turner's recall is ...
He indeed faced current teammate Cristopher Sánchez in Sánchez's MLB debut on June 6, 2021. But here's the part that makes Turner's memory so impressive: Sánchez wasn't some starting pitcher making a highly anticipated debut that day. No, he was just a reliever pitching 1 1/3 innings in the late innings of a blowout.
Turner has the distinction of being Sánchez's first career strikeout.
So needless to say, he was shocked to find out he had not only faced Suarez, but that he had done so quite a few times spanning from 2019-22.
"And then I find out I have 10 at-bats off him?" Turner said. "So, that's probably not good."
Turner got the best of Suarez in their early meetings, tallying a hit in each of their first two showdowns. But Suarez struck out Turner in their last head-to-head battle on May 20, 2022.
While Turner may not remember staring down Suarez's pitches, perhaps nobody on the planet knows Suarez's preferences and tendencies better than Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto.
Of course, Realmuto also knows that Suarez knows that Realmuto knows all of that information.
Got all that?
"It's hard," Realmuto said. "You can't really overthink it and try to guess what he's going to do because he's probably not going to do what I think he might. So the last thing I want to do is go up there and try to think about what he's gonna throw me."
Plus, it doesn't help that Suarez throws six different pitches.
"It’s definitely weird facing guys that you've caught before, but it almost helps you just simplify things and not think too much," Realmuto said. "Because you know you can't try to play that guessing game, especially with him. So, you just try to see the ball and hit it really."
Though Suarez played a role in so many notable moments over his eight years with the Phillies, perhaps none was more notable than recording the National League pennant-clinching out in 2022.
He leaped into Realmuto's arms in celebration.
"It'll be fun," Realmuto said. "I'm sure there'll be a couple of glances at each other, some smiling back and forth. It's going to be exciting to play against him."
Turner, meanwhile, doesn't typically enjoy going up against former teammates because it's "kind of weird facing your friends."
But that won't stop him from having a little fun if he gets the best of Suarez.
"Just try to beat them," Turner said. "And talk a little smack."