Ranger Suárez aims to steady Red Sox vs. Cardinals
St. Louis has a way of putting history in the same lineup card as the present.
For Willson Contreras, the timing was personal. Back in his return to St. Louis, the first baseman—who hit .261 with 55 home runs across the last three seasons before being traded to Boston last December—went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts. It wasn’t the kind of night he was likely hoping for, but the scoreboard still offered Red Sox fans one familiar spark: Wilyer Abreu.
Abreu went 2 for 4 and led Boston again, turning in his seventh multi-hit effort in the first 13 games. The Red Sox also found a moment of momentum when Trevor Story stole of home. Still, the offense left too many runners stranded, including a 1 for 6 showing with runners in scoring position. Manager Alex Cora didn’t try to dress it up afterward.
“We had our chances, but we’ve got to be better offensively,” Cora said.
Ranger Suárez is the one tasked with turning those chances into something more concrete. Listed at 0-1 with an 8.64 ERA, the southpaw will look to improve after Sunday’s no-decision in an 8-6 loss to the San Diego Padres. In that start, Suárez gave up four runs over four innings. What stands out in his track record is the small sample size he’s already built in St. Louis—he is 1-0 with a 1.13 ERA in two career starts against the Cardinals.
If Boston is going to climb back toward winning ways, it starts with the lineup they’re rolling out for the 7:15 p.m. matchup at the Gateway City. The Red Sox (4-9) send out: Anthony (DH), Durbin (3B), Duran (LF), Contreras (1B), Abreu (RF), Story (SS), Mayer (2B), Narváez (C), Rafaela (CF). On the mound is LHP Ranger Suárez.
Across the field, St. Louis (8-5) counters with: Wetherholt (2B), Herrera (DH), Walker (RF), Gorman (3B), Urias (1B), Fermin (LF), Saggese (SS), Pages (C), Scott II (CF). The Cardinals pitch RHP Kyle Leahy (1-1, 5.40 ERA).
Leahy comes in fresh off earning his first win as a full-time member of the Cardinals’ rotation last Sunday. He’s 28 years old, and the backdrop is unusual: across his first three seasons as a Cardinal, he made 97 of his 98 career appearances as a reliever, including a career-high 62 games in 2025. The win Friday also mattered beyond momentum—St. Louis’s Friday victory was the season-high third in a row, and the Cardinals are off to an 8-5 start after finishing fourth in the National League Central last season.
Meanwhile, St. Louis hitters have been carrying their own streaks. Jordan Walker extended his hitting streak to six games—homering in his previous three games and four of five before Friday. For the earlier matchup look, the preview lists: Red Sox vs. Leahy—Caleb Durbin 2-3, Isiah Kiner-Falefa 0-2, Andruw Monasterio 1-1, Trevor Story 0-1. Cardinals vs. Suárez—Alec Burleson 0-1, José Fermín 0-1, Iván Herrera 0-1, Ramón Urías 1-3, Jordan Walker 1-3, Masyn Winn 1-3.
Contreras’s message on the night’s background was clear, even if his at-bats didn’t match it. “I think I did my best here for them, for the team and for the fans,” he said, reflecting on his time with the Cardinals. “I played, like somebody said, my (butt) off. Every day that I came here, I gave 100 percent. I did my best for them.”
Monday’s broadcast is scheduled for Fox and WEEI-FM 93.7. And for the Red Sox, the question now is simple: can Suárez right the ship—and can Boston’s offense convert more of those chances before the next wave of scoring opportunities slips away.