Ranger Suarez made his return from a left groin strain and illness on Sunday, pitching four scoreless innings as the Boston Red Sox defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 6-1 at Fenway Park.
The 30-year-old left-hander scattered four hits, walked none and struck out six in his first start since July 6. Suarez had been sidelined with a left groin strain and illness while the Red Sox climbed into playoff contention.
“I’m happy to be back,” Suarez said after the outing. “The first couple innings, I was kind of nervous, because I didn’t know how I was going to feel. After that, I felt pretty good.”
Interim manager Chad Tracy noted that Suarez looked sharp after an early adjustment period. Outfielder Jarren Duran praised the performance, calling Suarez an absolute stud on the mound.
The Red Sox improved to 54-50 and finished their homestand 8-2. They next travel to West Sacramento for a four-game series.