Morning Sports Update
“When he’s on the mound, he’s a bulldog.”
Ranger Suarez during Red Sox spring training on Feb. 18. Barry Chin/Globe Staff
February 25, 2026 | 11:05 AM
3 minutes to read
Red Sox get a first look at Ranger Suarez: On Tuesday, the Red Sox lost to the Pirates 16-7 in a largely forgettable spring training game except for one major distinction: It was Ranger Suarez’s preseason debut for his new team.
Having signed a five-year, $130 million contract with the Red Sox in the offseason, the 30-year-old left-hander took the mound. It was less-than-ideal debut (1 2/3 innings, three hits, two runs, no walks and two strikeouts), but it helped Suarez as he continues to prepare for meaningful games in a few weeks.
“Consistent,” said Red Sox manager Alex Cora of Suarez, per MLB.com’s Ian Browne. “I had a chance to talk to Kyle [Schwarber] and Dave [Dombrowski] about him, and this whole thing about him having no pulse in big moments — you can see it.
“The way he goes about his business, it’s very relaxed,” Cora added.
Asked about his calmness on the mound, Suarez said it shouldn’t be confused for indifference.
“Got to ask my mom and my dad,” he said about where the steadiness comes from. “I’m just calm. I’ve always been like that. There are some people that might say that I don’t really care much about what I’m doing, but it’s not like that. I like that calmness, it helps me to stay focused. And I feel like that’s just the way I am.”
Even in just a limited sample size on Tuesday, Cora saw what he wanted from the team’s newest starter.
“When he’s on the mound, he’s a bulldog,” Cora said of Suarez, per Browne. “He knows what he wants to do. He’s a competitor.”
Suarez is also preparing to pitch for Team Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic (which begins in early March). The newly-signed Boston starter noted that he planned his workouts specifically with the WBC in mind.
“I started working out earlier this offseason, obviously, to allow me to be ready for the tournament,” Suárez explained. “We know that the tournament has very high expectations and you have to be 100 percent healthy and 100 percent ready to perform.”
Venezuela will face the Netherlands in the WBC opener on March 6. The Red Sox, meanwhile, open the 2026 MLB regular season on March 26 in Cincinnati against the Reds.
Trivia: What pitcher holds the all-time Red Sox records for wins by a lefty?
(Answer at the bottom).
Hint: He was a two-time All-Star, playing his entire MLB career with the Red Sox between 1947-1956.
Scores and schedules:
The Celtics defeated the Suns 97-81 on Tuesday. Boston will face the Nuggets in Denver tonight at 10 p.m.
On Thursday, the Bruins return to action against the Blue Jackets at home at 7 p.m.
More from Boston.com:
The Boston Legacy FC season opener: As announced on Tuesday, New Kids on the Block will play a halftime show at Legacy FC’s NWSL debut game at Gillette Stadium on March 14.
New Kids On The Block 🤝 Boston’s Newest Legacy
Blockheads!
We’re stoked to be part of Boston Legacy’s DAY ONE with pre-game hype and a halftime performance at their home opener on March 14th at Gillette Stadium. Show up loud and let’s turn it into a Block Party! 🤖💚🩷 pic.twitter.com/J7fQiOHPpe
— New Kids on the Block (@NKOTB) February 24, 2026
On this day: In 1970, the Celtics set a then-NBA record 54 points in the fourth quarter to crush the Rockets 147-124. Don Nelson led Boston with 40 points, while John Havlicek posted a triple-double (36 points, 14 rebounds, 10 assists).
Daily highlight: Ron Harper Jr. pulled off a video game-style block in the Celtics’ Tuesday win over the Suns.
Trivia answer: Mel Parnell
Hayden Bird is a sports staff writer for Boston.com, where he has worked since 2016. He covers all things sports in New England.
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