Reds catch a huge break after Red Sox reveal plan for Ranger Suarez

The Boston Red Sox made several big moves this offseason, not the least of which was signing former Philadelphia Phillies All-Star pitcher Ranger Suarez to a five-year, $130 million deal this past January. Suarez is expected to join Red Sox ace Garrett Crochet and former Reds' All-Star Sonny Gray atop Boston's starting rotation.

But the Cincinnati Reds will not see Suarez during opening weekend. According to Boston reporter Chris Cotillo of MassLive, the Red Sox lefty will open the year as the team's No. 5 starter. Suarez was part of Team Venezuela's pitching staff during the World Baseball Classic, and in terms of buildup, he's behind the other Red Sox starters.

This is fantastic news for a Reds lineup that has struggled over the years against left-handed pitching. Instead of the left-hander Suarez, expect to see Cincinnati face off against right-hander Brayan Bello.

Reds likely to miss Red Sox left-hander Ranger Suarez

Last season, the Reds hit a paltry .229/.300/.353 against left-handed pitching. Only three teams in the majors (Pittsburgh Pirates, San Francisco Giants, and Washington Nationals) had a lower slugging percentage against lefties in 2025.

But this problem has haunted Cincinnati for more than just one season. In 2024, Reds hitters owned a pathetic .226/.284/.326 slash line against southpaws. You have to go back to 2023 (.258/.332/.418) to find a successful run of Reds hitters against left-handed pitching.

This spring, the Reds have been middle of the road against lefties. As a team, they're hitting .258/.332/.484, though they lead league in home runs (16) and RBI (57). But it's tough to make any type of long-term, in-season prediction based solely on spring training statistics.

Matt McLain has been hitting well against both lefties and righties, but is crushing southpaws to the tune of a .474 batting average and 1.474 OPS this spring. TJ Friedl, who's historically better against right-handers, is struggling with a .133/.235/.133 slash line against left-handed pitching in Cactus League play.

Look for Reds manager Terry Francona to deploy a right-handed-heavy lineup against the Red Sox Opening Day starter (Crochet), but players like Will Benson and Nathaniel Lowe will likely see some time over the weekend with the right-handed duo of Gray and Bello set to pitch.