Boston Red Sox fans have already reached the point of the spring when they need to utter the age-old mantra of the season to stay grounded: spring training stats don't matter.
Boston's biggest free agent signing of the offseason, longtime Philadelphia Philly Ranger Suárez, made his Red Sox-Grapefruit League debut on February 24. It didn't take long for the Pittsburgh Pirates bats to get to him.
Suárez lasted 1.2 innings before Alex Cora rose from the dugout to pull him from the game. He let up two runs on three hits, including a home run to the No. 1 prospect in baseball, Konnor Griffin. On the brighter side, Suárez logged two strikeouts and 22 of his 33 pitches went for strikes.
Red Sox fans shouldn't be hung up on the young Griffin getting to Suárez for a homer — he's the top prospect in baseball for a reason, as Roman Anthony was before him. Griffin tagged Suárez for a 374 foot blast over the imitation Green Monster at JetBlue Park. Two innings later, he crushed a 440 foot blast off Seth Martinez.
It's too early for Red Sox fans to worry — Ranger Suárez will find himself in time
MLB's top prospect Konnor Griffin has his first homer of the spring 👌
— B/R Walk-Off (@BRWalkoff) February 24, 2026
(via @MLB)pic.twitter.com/Wmu3Y5BdtQ
Plenty of pitchers would be rusty after a long offseason and a change of scenery from the team they spent the first eight seasons of their career with. Suárez will get plenty of time on the mound this spring to find his usual self, including some high-leverage innings in the World Baseball Classic, representing Venezuela.
Suárez posted a 3.20 ERA, 137 ERA+, 151 strikeouts and 38 walks over 157.1 in his final season with the Phillies in 2025. He isn't at his best until October rolls around, however — Suárez is a beast in the postseason, with a 1.48 ERA and a 1.055 WHIP over 42.2 innings across four playoff runs.
Red Sox fans doubted that Sonny Gray still has what it takes to be a true No. 2 starter behind Garrett Crochet, but Suárez absolutely does. His first spring training start was rocky, but too short to come to any conclusions about the year ahead. Suárez has been one of the most reliable starters in baseball since the Phillies moved him from the bullpen in the 2022 season and he'll be a key piece of Boston's rotation for the next five years.