Boston Red Sox fans held their breath Sunday as starter Ranger Suárez exited early against the Houston Astros due to right hamstring tightness. The 30-year-old left-hander, who signed a blockbuster $130 million, five-year contract with Boston in January, left the game after just four innings of stellar work.

Suárez was in vintage form, tossing four scoreless innings while allowing only three hits. He threw 70 pitches, striking out three and walking one—a performance that had Fenway Park buzzing. This came on the heels of his best start of the season, a dominant eight-inning, one-hit gem in a victory at Toronto just six days earlier.

When Suárez signaled discomfort, interim manager Chad Tracy quickly jogged out to confer with crew chief Laz Diaz as reliever Tyler Samaniego began warming in the bullpen. The lefty reliever was granted extra warmup pitches beyond the standard eight, a clear sign the team was taking no chances with their prized offseason acquisition.

For Red Sox Nation, Suárez's early exit is a concerning development for a rotation that has leaned heavily on its new ace. After spending his first eight seasons with Philadelphia, Suárez has quickly become a cornerstone of Boston's pitching staff. His ability to consistently deliver scoreless outings has been a bright spot in an otherwise competitive AL East race.

As the team awaits further evaluation on Suárez's hamstring, fans can only hope this is a precautionary move rather than the start of a longer absence. For now, the Red Sox will rely on their bullpen depth to fill the gap, while keeping their fingers crossed that their $130 million man will be back on the mound soon.