Red Sox starter Ranger Suarez exited today’s game in the bottom of the third inning with left adductor tightness, according to the Boston Globe’s Tim Healey. On a 2-2 count, the lefty delivered a curveball to the Angels’ Jo Adell, who grounded to short and reached on an infield single. Suarez appeared to hop after the pitch and seemed to land awkwardly on his left leg (video courtesy of Tyler Milliken of the Section 10 Podcast). He attempted a warmup pitch but ultimately walked off the field with the training staff. Greg Weissert came in to relieve Suarez.
The team is surely conducting tests on Suarez, who was announced as one of two Red Sox All-Stars this morning, along with closer Aroldis Chapman. The severity of his injury should be known in the next day or so. The 30-year-old has made five trips to the injured list since the start of 2022, three of which were for back issues. The only absence due to a lower body injury was in August 2023, when Suarez, then with the Phillies, missed two weeks for a right hamstring strain.
If Suarez ends up missing time, it would be a major blow to a Red Sox rotation that has already been thinned out by injury. Ace Garrett Crochet has been out since late April with left shoulder inflammation and lat tightness. He is not close to returning, according to the team’s official injury report. Connelly Early went down a few days ago for elbow inflammation. Kutter Crawford, Johan Oviedo, and other depth options are also on the IL.
FanGraphs currently gives the Red Sox a four-man rotation of Sonny Gray, Suarez, Payton Tolle, and Jake Bennett. Suarez has been the best of that group. In 88 2/3 innings over 16 starts, he has a 2.94 ERA, a 25.5% strikeout rate, and a 7.2% walk rate, all of which grade out better than average. Suarez’s 2.8 fWAR ranks 10th in the league among qualified starters.
Gray, Tolle, and Bennett have backed up Suarez with their own good performances. Nonetheless, the team’s offensive woes have left them with a 39-48 record and in last place in the AL East. Boston is currently 4.5 games out of a Wild Card spot, and while improvement from the offense is badly needed if the team wants to contend, any absence from their most valuable starter will only make matters worse.
Should Suarez go on the IL, or at the very least miss a start before the All-Star break, the impending return of Patrick Sandoval will be more impactful than initially thought. Sandoval has not pitched in the Majors since June 2024, owing to UCL surgery and multiple setbacks. He has a 1.96 ERA in six rehab appearances since June 5th, including five scoreless innings on Saturday. A rotation spot was theoretically opened for Sandoval when Early went on the IL. The Red Sox don’t have a starter listed for Thursday’s game against the White Sox, so Sandoval could start that day on normal rest or the following day in Suarez’s spot if needed.
Photo courtesy of Kirby Lee, Imagn Images
