All-Star lefty Ranger Suarez is back on the mound for the Red Sox tonight against the Orioles, and it could not come at a better time. This team is on a absolute tear, trying to match a franchise record by extending their ridiculous winning streak to 15 victories. You know they want it bad, and having Suarez back just amps up everything.
The Ace Returns to a Red-Hot Team
Dude signed a five-year, $130 million deal back in January, and he’s been proving it was a steal. Suarez is sitting pretty at 4-3 with a 3.15 ERA and a 2.61 FIP through 17 starts, covering 91 ⅓ innings this year. And get this: in June alone, across five outings and 30 innings, he posted a filthy 2.10 ERA while striking out 35 batters. That’s serious business. He last pitched on July 5 in Anaheim, leaving after just 2 ⅔ innings of a 7-5 Red Sox win with left adductor tightness. Three days later, he was on the IL. Lucky for them, the All-Star break meant he only missed one start, a game where Eduardo Rivera pitched and the Red Sox beat the Mets on July 11. Suarez came out of a pregame workout, which included playing catch and doing fielding drills, feeling good enough to be activated. The Orioles better be ready; this guy is locked in.
Who’s the Odd Man Out? That’s the Million-Dollar Question
So, with Suarez back, someone’s gotta go down, but the corresponding roster move is still a mystery. Interim manager Chad Tracy has a tough call to make. Eduardo Rivera, who stepped up and started that July 11 game against the Mets and then again last Friday versus Tampa Bay, is a strong candidate. Then there’s righty Brayan Bello. He just returned from over a month in Triple-A, pitched well on July 12 against the Mets, but he’s been in limbo ever since. Bello has made only two appearances since June 25, a five-inning start for the WooSox on July 1 and his 4 ⅓ inning outing for the Red Sox in New York. He warmed up last Friday but hasn’t gotten into a game since the All-Star break. Tracy talked about the difficulty of that “long guy role,” saying, “You want to use it in a spot where you feel like you’re going to get use out of their bullets. That’s the nature of that spot… It’s not an easy role, but keeping that role fresh so you have it in case you need it for three games right here, it’s important.” Man, that’s a tough decision, but it shows how deep this pitching staff is.
This team is absolutely red-hot right now, fresh off a 6-5 victory where Caleb Durbin was the hero. They are chasing history! Jake Bennett is set to start Wednesday’s series finale against Baltimore. Then, after a day off Thursday, get ready for Patrick Sandoval, Sonny Gray, and Payton Tolle to take the mound for a home series against Toronto this weekend. The Red Sox are on fire, and with Suarez back, the league better watch out. Can they really keep this wild ride going? You’re going to want to tune in.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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