The Boston Red Sox are off to a 2-7 start to begin the season. Not many people saw that start coming. After beating the Cincinnati Reds on Opening Day, they have lost seven of their last eight games.
After losing the final two games to the Reds, they were swept by the Houston Astros in Texas. Then, after beating the San Diego Padres in their Fenway Park opener on Friday, they dropped the final two games. Sunday might have been rock bottom for the start of the season.
Boston grabbed a 4-0 lead, only to allow six straight runs to the Padres. After tying the game in the seventh, the Red Sox gave up runs in the eighth and ninth innings in an 8-6 loss. There are several reasons why Alex Cora’s team is off to the start it is. However, the first two starts from Ranger Suárez have to be considered concerning.
Boston Red Sox Pitcher Ranger Suárez Struggles in Second 2026 Start
When Alex Bregman signed with the Chicago Cubs in free agency in January, Boston Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow pivoted to pitching, not third base. It was an odd pivot at the time. He signed Suárez to a five-year, $130 million contract, which caught many by surprise.
After getting roughed up in his first start against the Astros on Monday night in Houston, things didn’t get better on Sunday. After three scoreless innings where his team staked him to a 4-0 lead, he gave it all back in four-plus innings, allowing four runs on six hits. He walked two and struck out two. There were some mistakes in the field behind him, but he was not able to stop things from spiraling out of control. He needed 32 pitches to get through the fourth inning.
“Obviously not the way that I wanted the first two starts to go,” said Suárez.
That is an understatement. Again, it’s just two starts, but in 8.1 innings, he has allowed 13 hits and eight earned runs against the Astros and Padres with an ERA of 8.64. The 30-year-old has come close to the same line in his first two starts. In Houston, he went 4.1 innings, allowing four runs on seven hits in an 8-1 loss.
Frustration Setting in Early in the Season for Red Sox
How bad are things for the Red Sox nine games into the season? They have the least amount of wins in MLB. That means the Athletics and Colorado Rockies have more wins, with three. As do the Washington Nationals, Minnesota Twins, and Baltimore Orioles.
Things are not going to get any easier for Cora and his club. The 7-2 Milwaukee Brewers come to Fenway this week. They will send out their top two pitchers, Brandon Woodruff and Jacob Misiorowski, on Monday and Tuesday. Boston counters with Brayan Bello and Garrett Crochet. Somehow, they need to at least split those games.
Losing another series will likely create some changes before Boston hits the road for a pair of series against the Cardinals and Twins. If the Red Sox are going to turn things around, they will need to have Suárez turn things around. It’s just two starts for Suárez; however, the returns haven’t been as anyone hoped. There is nowhere to go but up early in the season.
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