Ranger Suárez isn't going to blow hitters away with velocity - and that's exactly what makes him such a fascinating piece in the Boston Red Sox rotation heading into 2026.
The left-hander averaged just 90.5 mph on his fastball last season with the Phillies, putting him in the seventh percentile among MLB pitchers. In a league where triple-digit heat is becoming the norm, Suárez is something of a throwback - a pitcher who thrives on finesse, pitch mix, and command rather than pure power.
And yet, despite the modest velocity, Suárez has found a way to be effective. Really effective.
Among the 127 pitchers who logged at least 100 innings last season, only 20 averaged under 92 mph on their fastballs. That group collectively posted a 4.34 ERA - not disastrous, but not exactly dominant either.
Suárez, however, stood out from that crowd. His 3.20 ERA across 26 starts was a clear outlier, and it wasn’t just smoke and mirrors.
What makes Suárez work - and what the Red Sox are banking on - is his ability to keep hitters off balance with a deep and diverse pitch mix. He doesn't need to overpower you if you're guessing wrong at the plate.
Suárez leans heavily on his curveball and changeup - two offerings that have consistently graded out as plus pitches. Those secondary weapons help elevate his sinker and four-seamer, making them play better than their radar readings suggest.
Against right-handers, he’ll mix in a cutter. Lefties?
He’ll show them a slider. It’s a chess match every at-bat, and Suárez is a patient, strategic player.
Command is another major part of his game. Last season, he posted a walk rate of just 5.8%, a number that speaks to both his feel for the strike zone and his ability to avoid self-inflicted damage. That kind of control becomes even more important when you’re not blowing fastballs by hitters.
Now, there are fair questions about how long Suárez can keep this up. He’s dealt with a series of minor injuries over the past four seasons, and pitchers who rely on precision more than power can sometimes see their margins for error shrink as they age. A small dip in velocity or command can have a ripple effect on the rest of his arsenal.
But if Suárez stays healthy and maintains the sharpness of his offspeed pitches, there’s no reason he can’t continue to be a valuable mid-rotation arm. The Red Sox don’t need him to be a strikeout machine. They need him to be the same crafty, composed pitcher who made the All-Star team in Philadelphia - the one who frustrates hitters by living on the edges, changing speeds, and daring you to try and square him up.
In a rotation that’s looking for consistency and innings, Suárez brings a unique profile that complements the harder throwers around him. He may not light up the radar gun, but he knows how to pitch - and in today’s game, that still counts for a lot.