Red Sox Struggle as Ranger Suarez Falters in Early Season

Boston's new starter has been a major disappointment, compounding the team's offensive woes

Apr. 7, 2026 at 2:04am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting the fractured motion of a baseball pitcher, with muted earth tones representing the Red Sox's early-season struggles.The Red Sox's pitching woes, exemplified by Ranger Suarez's struggles, have contributed to the team's dismal start to the 2026 season.San Diego Today

The Boston Red Sox have gotten off to a brutal 2-8 start to the 2026 MLB season, falling 5.5 games behind their rival New York Yankees just 10 games in. While the team's offense has struggled mightily after key offseason departures, the biggest issue has been the poor performance of new starting pitcher Ranger Suarez, who has been a major disappointment in his first two outings.

Why it matters

The Red Sox's slow start has put them in an early hole, and if they can't turn things around soon, they could find themselves in an unrecoverable position by the end of April. The struggles of Suarez, who the team was counting on to be a key part of the rotation, have only compounded their problems on the mound.

The details

Suarez, acquired in the offseason from the Philadelphia Phillies, has been awful in his first two starts for Boston, posting an 8.64 ERA and 1.92 WHIP while failing to strike out batters at the rate the Red Sox expected. Fellow starters Brayan Bello and Sonny Gray have also struggled, further straining the pitching staff. The Red Sox are hoping Suarez can regain the form he showed last season, when he went 12-8 with a 3.20 ERA for the Phillies.

  • The Red Sox are 2-8 through their first 10 games of the 2026 season.
  • Ranger Suarez has made two starts for the Red Sox, pitching 8.1 innings and allowing 13 hits and 8 earned runs.
  • Brayan Bello lasted just 3.1 innings in his most recent start against the Milwaukee Brewers, giving up 5 hits and 3 earned runs.

The players

Ranger Suarez

The Red Sox's new starting pitcher, acquired in the offseason from the Philadelphia Phillies, who has struggled mightily in his first two outings for Boston.

Brayan Bello

A Red Sox starting pitcher who was expected to build on a strong 2025 season but has regressed early in 2026.

Sonny Gray

A veteran starting pitcher acquired by the Red Sox in an offseason trade, who has posted a 4.50 ERA in his first two starts.

Alex Cora

The manager of the Boston Red Sox, who is tasked with turning the team's slow start around.

John Henry

The owner of the Boston Red Sox, whose offseason decisions have contributed to the team's early struggles.

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What’s next

The Red Sox will need Ranger Suarez, Brayan Bello, and the rest of the pitching staff to turn things around quickly if they want to avoid digging themselves into an early hole. The team's offense will also need to find its stride to support the pitching staff.

The takeaway

The Red Sox's slow start has exposed significant issues with their pitching staff, particularly the struggles of new acquisition Ranger Suarez. If the team can't get its rotation straightened out soon, their hopes of contending in the AL East could be in jeopardy.