Boston Red Sox starter Ranger Suarez exited Sunday’s game against the Houston Astros with a hamstring issue, in what will likely be a third starter lost to the Red Sox rotation.
When Suarez was placed on the IL due to a hamstring strain in 2023, the lefty was out for three weeks. If Sunday’s injury is of the same, moderate severity, the Red Sox could be looking at Suarez missing his next four or five starts over three weeks.
The Red Sox said that Suarez suffered a right hamstring injury on Sunday, according to Boston Globe beat writer Tim Healey.
The team described the injury as “tightness” in the hamstring for the 30-year-old Suarez.
“Suarez went on the injured list for the Phillies in 2023 due to a hamstring strain,” Boston Globe reporter Alex Speier wrote. “At that time, he said he’d also dealt with one during the 2021 season. So: It appears this is an area he’s navigated throughout his career, much like Gray.”
Speier reported the decision for Suarez to leave the scoreless game after just 70 pitches.
“Just to recap the Red Sox Opening Day rotation: (Garrett) Crochet – IL, (Sonny) Gray – IL, (Connelly) Early – solid to date, but said he ‘didn’t feel like myself’ in Saturday’s start, Suarez – pitching brilliantly, but left today’s start, presumably due to an injury, Brayan Bello – might be a bulk-innings guy with an ERA north of 9,” Speier recounted on his social media account.
With Crochet and Gray already down, Boston’s pitching depth, assembled at significant cost this offseason, is being stress-tested in a way no one anticipated this early in the season. Crochet is out with shoulder inflammation, Gray with a hamstring injury.
Suarez Exits After 4 Shutout Innings vs. Astros
Suarez was sharp Sunday, retiring the Astros without a run and surrendering just three hits through four complete innings. He walked out to the mound to begin the fifth, then walked back off without throwing a pitch. Tyler Samaniego came on in relief, according to Channel 7 Sports reporter Ari Alexander.
Suarez had thrown 70 pitches when he departed. At that pace, his afternoon was just getting started, which made the sudden exit all the more jarring for Boston fans at Fenway Park.
“Not good,” wrote Section 10 podcast co-host Tyler Milliken on X. “Ranger Suarez is done after only 70 pitches and 4 shutout innings. The Red Sox are out of starting pitching depth with Sonny Gray and Garrett Crochet both hurt. Speechless at this point.”
Suarez’s Red Sox Season Was Gaining Momentum
Suarez had been one of the few bright spots in a turbulent stretch for the franchise. Just days earlier, on April 28, he delivered eight scoreless innings against the Toronto Blue Jays, his season-best outing, while punching out 10 and keeping Toronto hitless through five frames, according to MLB.com‘s Zach Worden.
That performance lowered his ERA to 3.09 on the year in his debut Boston campaign. Sunday’s start came after that Blue Jays gem.
Suarez signed with Boston this past January on a five-year, $130 million contract, with MLB.com‘s Ian Browne reporting the club viewed him as a cornerstone of a rotation built around Crochet, Gray, Bello and Johan Oviedo, who also went down with an injury after just one start and was replaced by Early in the rotation. Suarez brought a six-pitch arsenal and the lowest hard-hit rate among all MLB starters in 2025 at 31.1 percent.
A full injury update on Suarez and his hamstring issue was expected after the game concluded. Given what is already missing from this rotation, the Red Sox will be monitoring Suarez closely.
Red Sox Ranger Suarez Injury Update: Starter Could Miss 3 Weeks After Exit