Red Sox Rotation Crisis
All-Star Ranger Suarez Exits Game with Injury, Adding to Red Sox Pitching Woes
Key Points
The Adell grounder bounced off Ranger Suarez, into Tsung-Che Cheng's glove at shortstop, before Suarez left the game with left adductor tightness; there was no official update yet on the injury's severity.
In the outing, Suarez went 2 2/3 innings, allowing three earned runs on six hits with five strikeouts and zero walks, throwing 53 pitches (37 strikes).
The Red Sox' rotation is already thin, with Crochet, Oviedo, Kutter Crawford out and Connelly Early on the injured list with elbow inflammation; Sandoval is expected to be activated to make Early's next start, further shaping rotation plans.
Two Worcester candidates mentioned to fill rotation gaps are left-hander Patrick Sandoval (on rehab) and right-hander Brayan Bello (demoted earlier in June).
Red Sox left-hander Ranger Suarez left Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Angels in the third inning with left adductor tightness — just one day after being named to the AL All-Star team, according to MLB.com. He threw 53 pitches over 2 2/3 innings, allowing three runs on six hits with five strikeouts before exiting.
Greg Weissert replaced Suarez on the mound, with Boston leading 5-3 at the time of his departure after Willson Contreras hit a three-run homer in the third. No official update on the injury's severity had been released as of Sunday, MLB Trade Rumors reported.
Adell Grounder Triggers Suarez's Early Exit
The injury occurred on a grounder off the bat of Jo Adell. The ball bounced off Suarez and into shortstop Tsung-Che Cheng's glove. Suarez then walked toward the dugout and did not return. Rotoballer described the moment as a left-groin tightness incident that ended his afternoon after just 37 strikes among his 53 pitches.
It was not Suarez's first trip to the injured list. MLB Trade Rumors noted he has made five IL stints since 2022. The timing stings even more given the All-Star nod came the night before. Suarez also earned All-Star honors in 2024 with Philadelphia but missed the game due to injury that year too.
Red Sox Rotation Already Thin Before Sunday's Game
Boston's starting staff was already stretched before Suarez went down. Garrett Crochet, Johan Oviedo, and Kutter Crawford are all on the injured list. Connelly Early is also out with elbow inflammation, Yahoo Sports reported. That is four starters unavailable before factoring in Suarez.
The Red Sox have six games left before the All-Star break. That window gives Boston little time to patch a rotation that was already running thin. The team will need to piece together starts from whatever arms are available or healthy enough to go.
Sandoval and Bello Emerge as Emergency Rotation Options
Two names from Triple-A Worcester stand out as potential solutions. Left-hander Patrick Sandoval has been on a rehab assignment and could be activated soon, according to Heavy.com. The plan may be to have him slot into the spot vacated by Connelly Early, giving Boston at least one fresh arm.
Right-hander Brayan Bello is the other option. Boston demoted him earlier in June, but he could be called back up to fill rotation gaps after the All-Star break. With Suarez's status now unclear, the Red Sox may need both Sandoval and Bello sooner than expected, MLB.com noted.
All-Star Timing Highlights Boston's Injury-Risk Problem
Suarez's selection to the AL All-Star roster came Saturday night. His injury came Sunday afternoon. The back-to-back events highlight a painful pattern for the Red Sox: losing key players at peak moments. This is the second straight year Suarez has earned All-Star recognition only to be derailed by injury, MLB.com reported.
The Red Sox now face tough decisions heading into the break. Do they rush Suarez back? Do they promote Bello or Sandoval and risk overworking them? Boston must protect its remaining healthy arms while keeping the team competitive with six games still to play before the All-Star break.
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