Ranger Suarez is back on the mound Tuesday night, and the Red Sox are handing him a chance to help keep one of the strangest runs in recent memory rolling.
The odd part is how neatly Suarez’s injury absence fits into Boston’s surge. He spent a full 15 days on the injured list, and the Red Sox didn’t lose once during that stretch. By the time he returned, the streak had already become something bigger than a hot spell.
Boston has now won 14 straight after Monday night’s victory, a run that started with a nine-game streak going into the All-Star Break, continued with a four-game sweep of the Tampa Bay Rays, and then opened this series against the Baltimore Orioles with another win. What looked like a season teetering when Suarez went down has turned into a team sitting in an AL Wild Card spot and refusing to cool off.
That leaves Suarez in a pretty interesting spot as he comes back. The mood around the club is as high as it gets, and getting their big offseason acquisition back is obviously a boost. At the same time, he hasn’t been part of the streak itself, which means there’s at least a little pressure attached to his first outing back.
Boston is betting he can handle it. That’s the reason they signed him, and Tuesday gives him the chance to step right into the middle of the moment.
If the Red Sox win again, they’ll tie the franchise’s all-time win streak record. Suarez gets the ball, and Boston will be looking for him to keep the absurdity going.
In Other News...
Red Sox Suddenly Face A Risky Deadline Reunion Debate
The Red Sox have spent much of this season looking like a club that can pitch with anyone, which is why they remain in the playoff race and why any deadline conversation now comes with a little more ambition attached. Even so, the next few weeks could force Boston to think beyond simple bullpen depth or a modest bench upgrade, especially if San Diego decides to explore ways to reshape its roster and move a veteran name with real familiarity in Boston.
Any reunion talk would come with plenty of baggage, starting with the long-term money still attached and the question of whether the player would even be willing to sign off on a move. From the Red Sox perspective, the appeal is obvious: a chance to add a proven bat to a team trying to hold its place in the race. But the real intrigue is whether Boston would be willing to get pulled into a bigger deal if the Padres also made a premium late-inning arm part of the conversation. [Read more 🡒]
Orioles Lose A Key Piece As Red Sox Series Suddenly Shifts
The Orioles lineup took a hit at an awkward time, with their series against the Red Sox arriving while Baltimore is already trying to keep pace in the division race. Adley Rutschman has been one of the most important pieces of that effort, so any absence behind the plate changes the feel of a matchup that already had plenty riding on it.
Baltimore filled the roster spot by bringing up Chadwick Tromp from Triple-A Norfolk, a move that at least gives the Orioles another catching option as they navigate the next stretch. For Boston, the timing matters too, because a series that looked like a test against one of the American Leagues steadier clubs suddenly looks a little different with a key Orioles regular unavailable. [Read more 🡒]
Red Sox Trade Idea Sparks Familiar Catcher Debate
The catcher market always gets complicated when a team is trying to balance present need against future value, and that is why Jim Bowdens latest trade idea is the kind of proposal that catches the eye. The concept centers on a 26-year-old backstop who has already shown real middle-of-the-order production, with 30 homers, a .886 OPS, 2.6 bWAR and two All-Star selections giving him a profile that is easy to understand for a contender and just as easy to covet for a club looking to reshape its roster.
For Boston, the appeal is obvious enough: a catcher who can help now and perhaps change the shape of the lineup. For Colorado, the question is whether a possible sell-off at the deadline could turn one premium bat into a wider return of pitching and position-player talent, including a mix of big league and upper-minors pieces. It is the familiar kind of debate that follows any aggressive deadline idea, where the fit makes sense on paper but the real challenge is deciding how much certainty a team is willing to give up for one player. [Read more 🡒]