The Boston Red Sox were finally building some momentum. Five straight wins had pulled them within three games of a wild card spot. The rotation was holding together. The lineup was clicking. And then the kind of news that makes you wonder if it’s just not their year landed on the wire.
Ranger Suarez is headed to the 15-day injured list with a groin strain, according to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale. The lefty left his last start after just 2.2 innings against the Los Angeles Angels, giving up three runs before calling it a night. That was Sunday. Now he’s out, and the Sox are suddenly thin again.
Suarez came over as a free agent signing this winter, and for a while he looked like one of the smarter pickups in the league. Through 17 starts he’s got a 3.15 ERA, steady and reliable in a rotation that needed exactly that. The Red Sox didn’t ask him to be an ace. They just asked him to eat innings and keep them in games. He was doing both.
Another arm down, same old problem
Garrett Crochet has been on the IL since April. No timetable for his return. So that’s two starters gone from a staff that can’t afford to lose any. The team hasn’t said yet who replaces Suarez in the rotation, but the short list of options in Triple-A doesn’t inspire much confidence.
This isn’t just about one guy getting hurt. It’s about timing. The Red Sox had climbed back into the conversation, and now they’re making a roster move instead of a playoff push. The division is still very much alive — the Yankees and Orioles haven’t exactly run away with things — but the margin for error just got a lot smaller.
Suarez’s injury is officially a groin strain, which is one of those things that can linger if you rush it back. The team has been cautious with guys all season, and there’s no reason to think they’ll change course now. But caution and a playoff race don’t exactly mix.
The next few weeks will tell us a lot about where this team is really headed. For now, Boston’s rotation just took another hit, and the clock is ticking.
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