Ranger Suarez, the Sox’ marquee free agent signing of the offseason, will take the ball on Monday to make his debut with the team. The Venezuelan was an All-Star in 2024 and had an even better season statistically in 2025 with the Phillies.
Houston will turn to longtime Astro Lance McCullers Jr., who has been with the team since making his majors debut in 2015. After pitching some of his best seasons from 2021-2023, the righthander missed both 2023 and 2024 with injury and struggled in his return in 2025.
Get Starting Point
First pitch in Houston is set for 8:10 p.m. EST. You can catch the game on NESN. Here’s a preview.
RED SOX (1-2): Anthony LF, Story SS, Duran DH, Contreras 1B, Abreu RF, Durbin 3B, Mayer 2B, Narváez C, Rafaela CF
Pitching: LHP Ranger Suarez
ASTROS (2-2): Altuve 2B, Alvarez DH, Paredes 3B, Correa SS, Walker 1B, Smith RF, Meyers CF, Diaz C, Matthews LF
Pitching: RHP Lance McCullers Jr.
Time: 8:10 p.m.
TV, radio: NESN, WEEI-FM 93.7
Red Sox vs. McCullers Jr.: Isiah Kiner-Falefa 5-18
Astros vs. Suarez: Nick Allen 2-4, Jose Altuve 2-5, Yordan Alvarez 2-2, Yainer Diaz 1-3, Jake Meyers 0-3, Isaac Paredes 0-2, Jeremy Peña 1-4, Cam Smith 1-3, Christian Vázquez 3-5, Christian Walker 5-18
Stat of the day: The Red Sox went 2 for 21 (.095) with runners in scoring position in the two losses to the Reds over the weekend.
Notes: Suarez signed a five-year, $130 million free-agent contract with Boston after he recorded a career-best 151 strikeouts across a career-high 157 ⅓ innings with the Phillies last season. He worked exclusively as a starter over his last four seasons in Philadelphia after serving largely as a reliever in his first four. … Suarez is 0-2 with a 5.91 ERA in two career starts against the Astros. … At 23 years, 360 days old, Connelly Early became the youngest pitcher to start one of the Red Sox’s first three games in a season since Jeff Sellers in 1987. … Early threw 5 ⅓ innings on Sunday to help the bullpen get a rest. “With where we were pitching-wise, we needed that,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said of Early’s 96-pitch appearance. “We don’t usually extend guys this early in the season, but he felt strong. He was all spring. He did enough to give us a chance to win.” … McCullers is 1-1 with a 5.40 ERA in five career starts against the Red Sox. He has not faced Boston since May 31, 2018. … The Astros split their season-opening, four-game homestand against the Los Angeles Angels despite a 7.64 ERA from Houston’s starters, who gave up 15 earned runs in 17 ⅔ innings.
Amin Touri can be reached at [email protected].
