Red Sox Left-Hander Ranger Suarez Exits Start with Groin Injury and His Status Is Up in the Air

The Boston Red Sox won again on Sunday, taking down the Angels 7-5 on the road. But the victory came with a cost that might linger longer than a single series win.

Ranger Suarez, the 30-year-old lefty Boston signed to a massive contract last offseason, was pulled in the third inning of his start after what looked like an awkward play on a ball heading toward shortstop. The team later confirmed it’s a left adductor injury. Suarez clarified postgame that he actually felt the problem on his delivery, not while fielding.

“I felt a big pinch around the groin area. Tried to throw another pitch, but still felt it. So I came out,” Suarez told reporters through his translator. “It still feels the same (painful). It’s only been two hours. The training staff wants to wait to see how I feel tomorrow or the next day and we’ll go from there.”

That’s not the kind of update the Red Sox wanted to hear. Groin injuries for pitchers can be tricky. Sometimes they clear up in a few days. Sometimes they cost you a month.

Suarez has been excellent this season. In 17 starts spanning 91.1 innings, he’s got a 3.15 ERA with 97 strikeouts against just 26 walks. For a rotation that has been one of the hotter units in baseball over the last few weeks, losing a guy who gives you that kind of consistency is a real problem.

The Red Sox are still clawing back into playoff contention. They’ve played better ball lately, but the hole they dug earlier in the season means every game matters that much more. And every injury hits a little harder.

Boston doesn’t have a ton of starting pitching depth waiting in the wings. If Suarez ends up on the injured list, the front office might need to start making some calls. Or they might have to shuffle arms around. Either way, the margin for error just got smaller.

For now, it’s a waiting game. The training staff wants to check on Suarez in the next day or two before making any decisions. He didn’t seem to know himself whether an IL stint was coming. That uncertainty is probably the worst part for a team that can’t afford many more setbacks.