Red Sox's Ranger Suárez Has WBC Plans Revealed Before Signing $130M Contract

Sep 27, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Ranger Suarez (55) throws a pitch against the Minnesota Twins during the second inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

The Boston Red Sox will seemingly get to see their newest free-agent pitcher throw on a big stage much sooner than October.

Ranger Suárez, who has yet to sign his five-year, $130 million contract with the Red Sox, is reportedly making his way to Boston from Venezuela this week. And the 30-year-old also plans to represent his country, which is in a challenging moment in its history, at the upcoming World Baseball Classic.

According to a Monday report from Marcos Grunfeld of El Emergente, Suárez plans to pitch for Team Venezuela at baseball's rapidly growing signature event in March.

If you like our content, choose Sports Illustrated as a preferred source on Google.

Suárez joins stacked Team Venezuela squad for WBC

"The expectation is that Ranger Suárez will indeed play for Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic, a source says. We will confirm it once he is introduced at Fenway at some point this week, but he is expected to pitch for Venezuela," wrote Grunfeld.

Suárez, who put up a 3.20 ERA in 26 starts for the Philadelphia Phillies last season, clearly is deserving of the honor. It might surprise some that the Red Sox would allow their biggest free-agent pitching investment since David Price to take the mound in a big game so early in the year, but the event continues to mean more to the players every time it comes around.

Team Venezuela plays its first-round matchups in Miami from March 6-11. They'll be in a tough pool with the Dominican Republic, the Netherlands, Israel, and Nicaragua. Two of those five teams will move on to the quarterfinals, also in Miami, the following weekend.

Suárez will face off with Red Sox teammates Brayan Bello of the Dominican Republic and Curaçao native Ceddanne Rafaela of Team Netherlands. At least three other Red Sox are slated to participate in the WBC as well.

Those three are closer Aroldis Chapman (Great Britain), outfielder Jarren Duran (Mexico), and reliever Garrett Whitlock (USA)>

The two Red Sox stars who have already confirmed they won't be participating, meanwhile, are ace Garrett Crochet, who led the majors in innings pitched last year, and rising star outfielder Roman Anthony, who missed the final month of the season with an oblique strain.

More MLB: Red Sox Struck Gold; 1st-Round Stud Just Added Secret Weapon