Image Source: Chris Cwik
Key Takeaways
- The Boston Red Sox have agreed to a five-year, $130 million deal with starter Ranger Suárez
- Suárez has a 3.59 ERA over 588 1/3 innings since converting to a full-time starter in 2022
- The left-hander has dealt with minor injuries, but has averaged 26 starts per year since 2022
- The Red Sox now have a strong rotation with Suárez, Sonny Gray, Garrett Crochet, and Brayan Bello
- Suárez’s approach relies on pinpoint location and great command, rather than elite velocity
Introduction to the Signing
The Boston Red Sox didn’t waste any time after missing out on Alex Bregman, as they quickly pivoted and agreed to a five-year, $130 million deal with starter Ranger Suárez. According to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, the 30-year-old Suárez is coming off a season where he posted a 3.20 ERA over 157 1/3 innings with the Philadelphia Phillies. As Nightengale notes, Suárez has been an effective pitcher when on the mound, with a 3.59 ERA over 588 1/3 innings since converting to a full-time starter in 2022. This makes him one of the more coveted starting pitchers on the free-agent market.
Suárez’s Performance and Injury History
Suárez’s performance since entering the rotation has been impressive, with a 117 ERA+, meaning his ERA was 17 percent better than the league-average over the past four seasons. However, he has dealt with minor injuries in each season during that stretch and has never started more than 30 games in a single regular season. Despite this, Suárez has averaged 26 starts per year since 2022, which suggests that he’s not necessarily injury-prone. As the article notes, "he’s not a workhorse, but he’s not injury-prone either." Suárez’s ability to perform at a high level when healthy makes him a valuable addition to the Red Sox rotation.
The Red Sox Rotation
The signing of Suárez is a fascinating move for the Red Sox, who also acquired veteran Sonny Gray this winter in an effort to shore up the team’s rotation. With Garrett Crochet expected to once again serve as the team’s ace, Suárez, Gray, and Brayan Bello should make up the top-4 in the rotation. The team has a myriad of other options, including Connelly Early, who showed promise in limited starts last season, as well as Kyle Harrison and Payton Tolle, who are both highly touted prospects. As the article notes, "it could be argued starting pitching wasn’t the most pressing need for the Red Sox," but the addition of Suárez definitely makes the team stronger at the top of the rotation.
Suárez’s Approach and Style
Suárez doesn’t get a ton of publicity thanks to his approach, which relies on pinpoint location and great command rather than elite velocity. His fastball averaged just 91.3 mph last season, which is relatively slow by today’s standards. However, Suárez has found success by limiting opposing batters to a 31.1 percent hard-hit rate last season, one of the best figures in MLB. As the article notes, "Suárez’s breaking pitches are true weapons," with opposing batters hitting just.203 on his changeup last season. The Red Sox are the ideal team to take advantage of these strengths, having drastically cut down on four-seam fastball usage in recent seasons.
Conclusion and Future Outlook
The signing of Suárez is a significant move for the Red Sox, and it will be interesting to see how he performs in the team’s rotation. With a strong group of starters, the Red Sox are well-positioned to make a deep run in the postseason. As the article notes, "if the Red Sox make it to the postseason in 2026, he’s a clear candidate to remain one of the team’s starters in those short series." With Suárez on board, the Red Sox have a strong foundation for success, and it will be exciting to see how the team performs in the upcoming season.
https://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/breaking-news/article/ranger-suarez-reportedly-agrees-to-five-year-130-million-deal-with-red-sox-192503572.html
