FORT MYERS, Fla. — Before the Red Sox signed Ranger Suarez to a five-year, $130 million contract this past winter, the All-Star lefty became renowned for his ability to squash opposing rallies by drawing key double plays in big spots.
Tuesday afternoon, Suarez provided an early glimpse of what the Red Sox hope will be many big moments to come.
Suarez’s double play to end the top of the first was the highlight of his first start in a Red Sox uniform. The 30-year old allowed two runs on three hits with two strikeouts and no walks over 1.2 innings in the club’s matinee against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Suarez threw 33 pitches, 22 for strikes, and both of his runs came on a two-run homer by Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Konnor Griffin, the No. 1 prospect in MLB.
“I felt good, first of many here so it felt really good,” Suarez said following his outing via interpreter Carlos Villoria Benítez.
Known for his deep arsenal and ability to keep batters off balance, Suarez worked on all six of his pitches Tuesday. His most used pitch was his four-seam fastball, which he only threw seven times but drew three called strikes and a whiff, and he also mixed in his changeup, curveball and sinker (six times each) and his cutter and slider (four times).
His command, however, was not fully dialed in.
After drawing a leadoff flyout Suarez gave up a single and hit Spencer Horwitz with a pitch to put two on with one out. At that point he used a curveball to draw the inning-ending double play, which was deftly turned by Caleb Durbin, who fielded the ball down the third base line, touched the bag for the force out and made a strong throw to first.
“That’s my goal every time I get somebody on base,” Suarez said. “I try to get soft contact and try to get a double play.”
In the second inning Suarez struck out former Red Sox infielder Enmanuel Valdez but allowed a double to Endy Rodriguez. That brought up Griffin, who crushed a curveball clear over JetBlue Park’s Green Monster.
“I fell down in the count and threw a breaking ball in a fastball count and he was able to hit it,” Suarez said. “I’ve heard very good things about him, great ball player, he’s a very good hitter and you can see that.”
Suarez finished his outing by striking out former Red Sox prospect Jhostynxon Garcia. He is expected to make one more start for the Red Sox on Sunday against the Baltimore Orioles before he joins Team Venezuela for the World Baseball Classic.
Griffin as advertised
Griffin looked every bit like the No. 1 prospect on baseball on Tuesday, showing off his immense talent by going 2 for 4 with two towering home runs and four RBI.
After taking Suarez deep for a 374-foot blast in the top of the second, the 19-year-old shortstop went yard again his second time up, hitting an even longer 440-foot two-run home run off right-hander Seth Martinez in the top of the fourth. That one cleared the deepest part of the wall in left-center field and was measured at 111.2 mph off the bat.
Rafaela, Contreras go yard
Tuesday wasn’t a banner day for the Red Sox starters on offense, but Ceddanne Rafaela and Willson Contreras each delivered their first home runs of the spring.
Rafaela (1 for 2) hit a solo shot off Pirates righty Thomas Harrington in the bottom of the fourth, and after Trevor Story scored on a passed ball in the bottom of the fifth, Contreras (1 for 3) cleared the bases with a two-run shot to right-center off Antwone Kelly.
Wilyer Abreu nearly went back-to-back with Contreras, but his line drive stayed in the yard and the Red Sox outfielder wound up being thrown out at second because he was thought the ball was gone and didn’t run hard out of the box.
Challenging day
It’s spring training for the umpires too, and Andy Fletcher had a tough day at the office. The home plate umpire had three calls overturned by the ABS Challenge system within the first two innings alone, including one pitch from Pirates starter Carmen Mlodzinski to Trevor Story that went right down the middle but was initially called a ball.
Coming up next
Johan Oviedo will take the mound on Wednesday for the Red Sox when they make the crosstown trip to play the Minnesota Twins at Hammond Stadium. Garrett Whitlock, Justin Slaten, Tyler Uberstine, Jake Bennett and Tayron Guerrero are all scheduled to take the mound for Boston as well.
