FORT MYERS, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 11: Ranger Suárez #55 of the Boston Red Sox speaks to the media during a workout at JetBlue Park at Fenway South on February 11, 2026 in Fort Myers, Florida. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

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The Philadelphia Phillies earned a shutout win against the Colorado Rockies on Sunday and they’ll be looking to carry that momentum into their next series as they visit the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park.

The team has surged in the standings with the third-best record in all of baseball since bench coach Don Mattingly took over as interim manager. They have been enjoying better starting pitching, more production from the batting order and the benefits of an easier schedule since making their change at the top.

“But after a 9-19 start that only a mother could love, a Mother’s Day victory pushed the Phillies to 10-3 under Mattingly,” Scott Lauber wrote for The Philadelphia Inquirer. “It’s the result of a softer schedule and much better starting pitching, but also undeniably crisper and cleaner play.”

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The Phillies will have to hope for the momentum to continue as they look to secure a playoff spot and make a deep postseason run after bringing back tenured free agents like Kyle Schwarber and JT Realmuto.

And now it appears the Phillies will be looking to do so against a familiar face, as Red Sox starter Ranger Suarez is expected to face his former teammates after suffering an injury earlier in the season.

“Ranger Suarez will start Thursday against the Philadelphia Phillies, his former team,” Jen McCaffrey reported for The Athletic. “Suarez exited a start last Sunday with hamstring tightness but never went on the injured list.”

Suarez joined the Red Sox shortly before the season began following an eight-year stint with the Phillies that saw him log a 3.38 ERA across 762 total innings with an All-Star nod in 2024. Though it seemed Suarez might return to the Phillies on a new contract, he joined the Red Sox on a five-year, $130 million deal after the team saw Alex Bregman leave for the Chicago Cubs.

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Suarez has enjoyed some strong outings in his brief Red Sox tenure so far, with a 2.77 ERA in his first 39 innings, though the injury setback was unfortunate for a team that, like the Phillies, has fallen short of expectations so far.

Now Suarez will look to get back on track against a cast of hitters who are performing better than ever so far this year and who might be especially familiar with his repertoire.

Though Phillies fans are hoping the team can get the best of their old teammate in the matchup, plenty will also be hoping for the best for Suarez beyond that as the veteran southpaw helped to make plenty of fond memories before he left the team.