Ranger Suárez will have the opportunity to pitch competitively before making his Boston Red Sox debut.
The Red Sox boast one of baseball's best rotations after signing Suárez to a five-year, $130 million contract. They'll watch carefully as the southpaw represents Venezuela in next month's World Baseball Classic.
Suárez received recognition ahead of the tournament from Fox Sports, which ranked him as the sixth-best starting pitcher in the WBC. Team USA aces Tarik Skubal and Paul Skenes headline the list ahead of World Series hero Yoshinobu Yamamoto (Japan) and veterans Logan Webb (U.S.) and Luis Castillo (Dominican Republic).
"Suárez is a stud," Fox Sports wrote. "The veteran left-hander, who signed a five-year deal with the Red Sox this offseason after spending the first eight seasons of his career with the Phillies (2018-25), throws five pitches with frequency: sinker, changeup, cutter, curveball and four-seamer. He owns a career 3.38 ERA, has habitually evaded damage and established himself as one of the best left-handers in the sport."
Fox also noted his spotty health record. The 30-year-old has yet to pitch 160 innings in a season since reaching the majors in 2018.
Suarez leads a Venezuela rotation featuring Germán Márquez and former Boston starter Eduardo Rodríguez. Some fans may take issue with Fox ranking him above Christopher Sánchez, who posted a 2.50 ERA in a breakout year for the Philadelphia Phillies, and former Cy Young Award winner Sandy Alcantara.
Fox also listed Brayan Bello as an honorable mention. The Red Sox starter will pitch for the Dominican Republic before attempting to replicate last season's 3.35 ERA.
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