Ranger Suarez: Everything you need to know

Suarez (2-3) took the loss Tuesday against Atlanta, allowing five runs on six hits and three walks with four strikeouts across five-plus innings. Suarez dealt with traffic on the bases in the second, third and fourth innings but went into the fifth with a 2-0 lead before Atlanta broke through on a Matt Olson two-run homer. Suarez then came out for the sixth inning but allowed the first three batters to reach before being pulled from the game at 91 pitches. Suarez entered Tuesday's start having allowed just one run on 11 hits and five walks with 14 strikeouts across 13.2 innings this month. However, Suarez has failed to go six innings in any of his last four outings and has done so just three times in 10 starts this season. On the year, he owns a 3.02 ERA and 47:17 K:BB across 53.2 innings. With a 91.1 mph fastball and 20th percentile whiff rate (21 percent), Suarez relies on command and inducing weak contact.

Suarez did not factor into the decision Tuesday against the Royals, allowing one run on four hits and three walks while striking out three over 4.1 innings. Suarez had to grind through a difficult 32-pitch first inning that accounted for Kansas City's only run of the night, but he settled in nicely afterward, holding the Royals hitless over the next three frames. In the fifth inning, he allowed back-to-back hits that led to his exit, though at just 81 pitches it appeared Boston were once again cautious with the left-hander following his recent hamstring issues. Had he been able to complete the fifth inning, he would have been in line for the win. Suarez has now allowed just one run over his last 21.2 innings, lowering his season line to a 2.40 ERA, 1.01 WHIP and 43:14 K:BB across 48.2 innings. He's scheduled to face Atlanta in his next start.

Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy's decision to pull Suarez in the sixth inning Thursday after 76 pitches was due to the left-hander "starting to fatigue" an inning earlier, Christopher Smith of MassLive.com reports. Suarez was cruising against the Phillies, his former team, before getting the hook after 5.1 scoreless frames. "Based on the fact that he hadn't thrown in 11, 12 days, it felt like that was the right time to cut it," Tracy added after the game. While Suarez was never told he was under a pitch count, the pitcher believed he would be held to around 75-80 pitches. He shouldn't have any restrictions for his next outing, which lines up to come on the road early next week in Kansas City.