Red Sox Face Early Rotation Challenges in Spring Training
Spring Training is supposed to be a time of excitement, fresh starts, and preparation for the long season ahead. But for the Boston Red Sox, it's already presenting some challenges—especially when it comes to their pitching rotation. The team came into camp feeling confident about their starting depth, but injuries are already testing that depth in a big way.
First up, there’s Kutter Crawford, who has been dealing with soreness in his right knee’s patellar tendon. This isn’t a new issue for him—it bothered him last season, but he pushed through it to make all his starts. Unfortunately, it flared up again in the offseason, and now, he's behind schedule in camp. Manager Alex Cora didn’t sound optimistic about Crawford being ready for Opening Day, saying, “Right now, it’s kind of like an ‘if.’ Let’s see what happens.”
Then there’s Brayan Bello, another key part of the Red Sox rotation, who has been dealing with shoulder inflammation. He hasn't started throwing bullpen sessions yet, and his availability for the start of the season is still up in the air. The team is waiting for the results of a strength test to determine the next steps for him.
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With those two question marks, the Red Sox are left with just three healthy starting pitchers at the moment: Garrett Crochet, Tanner Houck, and Walker Buehler. Crochet is set to pitch Sunday, Houck on Monday, and Buehler's schedule is still to be determined. Meanwhile, Lucas Giolito—coming off an internal bracing procedure last spring—is on track to start the season on time. He recently threw two innings of batting practice, a good sign that he’s close to pitching in actual games.
If the rotation needs reinforcements, the Red Sox do have some depth options. Quinn Priester, Richard Fitts, and Cooper Criswell are among the names who could step in if needed.
But the pitching staff isn’t the only area of concern. Outfielder Wilyer Abreu has been sidelined with a G.I. virus and won't resume baseball activities until his lab results come back normal. Although he's improving, the team is being cautious.
Then there’s Rafael Devers. While there’s no doubt he’ll be ready for the regular season, he's been progressing slower than usual in Spring Training due to lingering shoulder injuries from last year. Saturday was a step forward for him, though, as he took batting practice on the field for the first time and began his throwing program.
Masataka Yoshida is another player dealing with uncertainty. He’s recovering from right labrum surgery and has only been throwing short distances so far. The Red Sox hope to have him play more left field this season after he spent almost all of last year as a designated hitter. However, if he isn’t fully ready to take the field, the team will have to decide whether to carry him on the roster as a DH-only option.
So, while Spring Training is just getting started, the Red Sox are already dealing with some significant challenges. The next few weeks will be crucial in determining who will be ready for Opening Day—and whether the team’s depth can hold up under the pressure.
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