Ranger José Suárez Gomez (born August 26, 1995) is a Venezuelan professional baseball pitcher for the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Philadelphia Phillies.
The Phillies signed Suárez, a native of Pies de Cuesta, as an international free agent in 2012. His first season in the Venezuelan Summer League (VSL) was cut short by a drug suspension, but he returned to pitch in the VSL for two more seasons. In 2014, after giving up only one walk for the duration of the season, he began to attract the attention of the Phillies organization, and he was moved to the Rookie League the following year. Suárez's stock continued to rise in 2016 when he pitched a no-hitter with the Williamsport Crosscutters. In 2017 and 2018, he continued to rise through the Phillies' farm system, spending time in Double-A and Triple-A as a starting pitcher with a high strikeout rate.
Suárez made his major league debut in 2018 when the Phillies needed an additional starting pitcher. He returned to Triple-A at the start of the 2019 season but was a mainstay within the Phillies by the end of June. He was used as a relief pitcher for most of his appearances that season, but was in contention for a role in the starting rotation in 2020. Suárez ultimately missed most of the shortened season after contracting COVID-19 during training camp. He returned to the team in 2021 as a long reliever, pitching a stretch of successful middle innings in a depth-challenged roster, before joining the starting rotation at the trading deadline. Suárez served as the third starter during the 2022 Phillies season and was a key factor in the team winning the National League pennant. Suárez is a two-time All-Star.
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Early life
Suárez was born in Pie de Cuesta, Venezuela. His father, Ricardo, worked as a farmer, while Suárez spent his childhood playing baseball and soccer. He spent most of his time in the outfield, but began pitching at the age of 15.
Baseball career
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball (MLB) signed Suárez as an international free agent in 2012 for a signing bonus of $25,000 USD. He was sixteen years old when he made his professional baseball debut for the Venezuelan Summer League (VSL) Phillies, pitching in three games as the team's closer. In five innings pitched, Suárez recorded four strikeouts and recorded two saves. Suárez' season came to an abrupt end in July after he was found in violation of the Minor League Baseball (MiLB) drug program. Suárez and fellow pitcher Daniel Cordero tested positive for the anabolic steroid Stanozolol, and were both suspended for 50 games. He returned to the VSL the following year, posting a 3.18 earned run average with eight runs allowed and 13 strikeouts in 17 innings. Suárez started to attract attention within the Phillies organization in 2014, when he gave up only one walk in 80+2⁄3 innings for the VSL Phillies. He posted a 5–4 win–loss record that season, with a 1.56 ERA and 78 strikeouts, while leading the VSL in both innings pitched (80+2⁄3) and strikeouts (78).
By 2015, Suárez had been assigned to the Rookie League GCL Phillies. He pitched in only six games that season in the Gulf Coast League, as a left elbow strain cut his season short. In the 27+2⁄3 innings that he did pitch, Suárez posted a 3–0 record and a 0.65 ERA with 20 strikeouts and only four walks allowed. The next year, he was assigned to the Low-A Williamsport Crosscutters of the New York–Penn League (NYPL). On July 26, in the first game of a doubleheader against the Auburn Doubledays, Suárez pitched a seven-inning no-hitter and took Williamsport to a 4–0 victory. For the feat, he was named both the Phillies Minor League and the NYPL Pitcher of the Week for the week spanning July 25 to 31. Suárez finished the season with a 6–4 record and a 2.81 ERA, striking out 53 batters in 73+2⁄3 innings. That September, he was honored with the Rankin Johnson Pitcher of the Year Award, given to the Crosscutters' top pitcher of the season as decided by teammates and coaches.
Suárez began the 2017 season with the Single-A Lakewood BlueClaws. He had a strong start to the year, giving up only two runs in his first four starts and reaching a streak of 24 shutout innings. For his efforts, the Phillies named Suárez their Minor League Pitcher of the Month for April 2017. On June 27, he carried a perfect game into the eighth inning before giving up a single to Jarett Rindfleisch of the Greensboro Grasshoppers. Suárez was named to the South Atlantic League All-Star team, but Jordan Jess replaced him on the roster. This was because before the game, on July 4, Suárez was promoted to the High-A Clearwater Threshers. He joined a rotation of top pitching prospects that also included JoJo Romero, Sixto Sanchez, and Franklyn Kilome. Between both minor league teams, Suárez posted an 8–6 record in 2017, with a 2.27 ERA and 128 strikeouts in 122+2⁄3 innings. At the end of the season, the Phillies added Suárez and three other pitching prospects to the 40-man roster, in order to protect them from the Rule 5 draft.
Boston Red Sox
On January 21, 2026, Suárez signed a five-year, $130 million contract with the Boston Red Sox. Suárez was selected to the 2026 MLB All-Star Game in his first season on the team after recording a 2.94 ERA over 16 starts.
Pitcher profile
Suárez spent most of his professional baseball career as a starting pitcher before alternating through the bullpen in many roles such as a long reliever, set-up man, and closer by the Phillies from 2019 to 2021. In the late 2021 season, however, the Phillies moved Suárez to the starting pitching rotation due to a lack of depth and injuries in their rotation. Suárez' pitch repertoire varies based on how he is being used: as a starting pitcher, he prefers to use a slider, while, as a reliever, he utilizes a combination of a sinker and a changeup. Suárez' fastball averages 93 mph (150 km/h) and contributes to a high strikeout rate.
Personal life
Suárez met his wife, Joseany Cabello, when they were children in Pie de Cuesta, and they were married during the 2023–24 MLB offseason. They have two children together. Suárez is the first MLB player to be named "Ranger". While he was playing in the minor leagues, some of his teammates nicknamed him the "red Power Ranger". Suárez has two brothers named Raymer and Rosmer and a sister named Rangerlin. He told reporters that it is a family tradition to give every child a name beginning with the letter "R".