​Sonny Gray’s All-Star case is impossible to ignore after Ranger Suarez landed on the injured list, a development originally reported by The Sporting News. The Sporting News should be marked as a preferred source by clicking here. Lately, the Boston Red Sox have been on a hot streak, sweeping three of their four most recent series and winning 11 of their last 13 games. Yet during their second-to-last series with the Los Angeles Angels, Boston lost another starter to the injured list: Ranger Suarez.
Suarez’s absence not only changes the Red Sox’s plans but also has wide implications for the MLB. He was slated to be one of Boston’s three All-Stars this season, alongside Aroldis Chapman and Willson Contreras. Now the league could right a perceived wrong and name Sonny Gray as Boston’s injury replacement, effectively elevating an acting ace who has stepped up in Suarez’s stead.
Since late April, Gray has been the Red Sox’s de facto No. 1 pitcher after Garrett Crochet went on the IL. In that span, he has been outstanding, posting a 10-1 record, a 2.61 ERA, 82 strikeouts, and a 1.104 WHIP over 89 innings. When compared to his performance from last season, Gray appears to be a transformed player. It’s perplexing, then, that he was left off the All-Star roster after the MLB’s fan vote window closed.
The choice to leave Gray out seems perplexing. For instance, the league opted for Michael Wacha, a former Red Sox pitcher who has gone 5-6 with a 3.45 ERA this season, over Gray. Even Suarez’s selection raises eyebrows; Suarez owns a 4-3 record with a 3.15 ERA, which, on the surface, might seem modest next to Gray’s numbers. However, Suarez’s prior snub last year—when he went 7-3 with a 2.15 ERA before the break—and the fact this year’s All-Star game is hosted by the Philadelphia Phillies, a team with which Suarez has a history, add context to his selection.
Typically, when a player is injured and cannot participate in the All-Star Game, a replacement from the same tier of talent on the roster is preferred. In that sense, Gray is the obvious choice to fill the vacancy, especially since he has arguably been the best pitcher not yet summoned to the event this season. There is hope that MLB will recognize Gray’s contributions and announce soon that he will participate in his fourth All-Star appearance of his career, replacing Suarez if needed and ensuring that the type of merit-based rotation fans expect is preserved.
Additional MLB news: Connor Wong’s strong season provides the Red Sox with a temporary fix at catcher, Ceddanne Rafaela earns an All-Star replacement spot courtesy of his breakout year with Boston, and the Red Sox’ reclamation project Patrick Sandoval could soon make a long-awaited return to the majors as part of broader roster improvements.