Ranger returns in All-Star form with scoreless outing against Jays

BOSTON -- At all stages of a season-defining surge, Ranger Suarez could only watch from the dugout.

In the time the Red Sox transformed from nearly 10 games below .500 in his previous start to the second spot in the American League Wild Card race, Suarez nursed a left groin strain and subsequent illness. The All-Star returned on Sunday afternoon, tossing four scoreless innings in Boston’s 6-1 win over Toronto at Fenway Park.

“I’m happy to be back,” Suarez said. “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.”

The 30-year-old lefty scattered four hits, walked none and struck out six. He threw 42 of 64 pitches for strikes. Bullpen arms Greg Weissert, Tyron Guerrero, Justin Slaten and Ryan Watson did the rest before a sellout crowd of 36,795 as the Red Sox improved to 54-50.

One lefty departed the roster and another one entered. On the heels of Connolly Early’s trade to the Nationals in exchange for infielder Curtis Mead, the Red Sox activated Suarez off the 15-day injured list ahead of Sunday’s series finale.

Suarez went on the injured list on July 9 (retroactive July 6). A 2026 All-Star, Suarez left an eventual 7-5 win over the Angels with two outs in the third inning. The Red Sox entered that one with a 39-48 record.

Oh, how everything changed since Suarez previously toed the rubber.

Rattling off a 15-game win streak vaulted the Red Sox into playoff contention, and Suarez started for the first time in a Boston uniform as a member of a team with a winning record.

Before the game, interim skipper Chad Tracy declined to share any details on Suarez’s limitations -- like a pitch count -- other than doubling-down on health as the top priority.

“He looked very sharp,” Tracy said. “Probably feeling it out a little bit in the first, but as he went along … [Suarez] looked just like he usually does.”

Count outfielder Jarren Duran (3-for-4 with two RBIs and a stolen base) as “not surprised” with Suarez’s immediate success.

“That guy’s an absolute stud on the mound,” said Duran, who deemed Suarez worthy of a Gold Glove. “He never looks lost out there and always looks locked in, super cool to see him back and healthy.”

Suarez looked sharp early, fanning Nathan Lukes and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to start the outing. He needed just 12 pitches to set down the side in order in the top of the first. After ceding Toronto's first hit of the game to George Springer leading off the second, Suarez neatly gloved a comebacker to start a 1-6-3 double-play.

An Andrés Giménez double with one out in the top of the third gave the Blue Jays their first runner in scoring position, but Suarez froze Davis Schneider and Lukes with full-count curveballs.

The Red Sox, too, got their first man in scoring position in the third after Andruw Monasterio advanced on Carlos Narváez’s sacrifice bunt. Two batters later, Ceddane Rafaela plated Monasterio with a liner to right field.

Suarez allowed back-to-back one-out singles in the fourth, but avoided any damage with a weak forceout and a strikeout.

“These three weeks, I never stopped throwing,” Suarez said. “I wasn’t surprised I had my command.” Suarez also said that's why he didn’t pitch in a Minor League rehab game.

Willson Contreras drew a leadoff walk in the bottom of the frame followed by a Caleb Durbin single. Romy Gonzalez laid down a sacrifice bunt to put runners in scoring position. Jarren Duran brought both in to score with a line-drive single to center field.

The bullpen shut the door from there, with extra cushion via new Red Sox outfielder Jahmai Jones’ pinch-hit, two-run double and subsequent run-scoring wall-ball double from Wilyer Abreu in the seventh.

The Red Sox finished the homestand 8-2 and head to West Sacramento for a four-game set.

“We had some really good performances across the board,” Jones said. “I felt like it was a really good team day.”