Boston Red Sox Rookie Hunter Dobbins Diagnosed With Torn ACL, Out For Season

In his first start back from a three-week stint on the injured list, Boston Red Sox pitcher Hunter Dobbins suffered a serious knee injury in Friday's game against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox pitcher Hunter Dobbins (73) is hurt after a play at first against Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Chandler Simpson (14) in the second inning at Fenway Park. | David Butler II-Imagn Images

The Boston Red Sox have placed right-handed pitcher Hunter Dobbins on the 15-day injured list with a right ACL tear, the club announced Saturday.

Dobbins hurt his right knee during Friday night's game against the Tampa Bay Rays. The righty beat outfielder Chandler Simpson in a footrace to first on a grounder in the top of the second inning, but was removed from the contest after receiving attention from the medical staff.

Friday marked Dobbins' first MLB appearance in three weeks, as he had just been activated from the 15-day injured list. The 25-year-old rookie had been dealing with a right elbow strain.

Per the Boston Herald's Gabrielle Starr, Dobbins told reporters that he was in the MRI machine when Ceddanne Rafaela hit his walk-off home run, getting play-by-play commentary from the technicians. He previously tore his ACL playing high school football.

To fill Dobbins' spot on the active roster, the Red Sox recalled right-handed pitcher Richard Fitts from Triple-A Worcester. Dobbins will almost certainly hit the 60-day injured list in the near future, which would free up a spot on Boston's 40-man roster.

The #RedSox today placed RHP Hunter Dobbins on the 15-Day IL with a right ACL tear. To fill his spot, Boston recalled RHP Richard Fitts from Triple-A Worcester.

— Red Sox (@RedSox) July 12, 2025

The Red Sox selected Dobbins in the eighth round of the 2021 MLB Draft, at which point he was recovering from Tommy John surgery. He ultimately overcame that setback and entered 2025 as the No. 14 prospect in Boston's farm system, then made his big league debut on April 6.

In 11 starts and two relief appearances this season, Dobbins went 4-1 with a 4.13 ERA, 1.279 WHIP, 6.6 strikeouts per nine innings and a 0.4 WAR.

Dobbins is set to miss at least the rest of the 2025 campaign, and it remains to be seen how deep into 2026 he will be ready to pitch again. He joins Kutter Crawford, who recently underwent wrist surgery, as the Boston starters who are out for the year.

The Red Sox still have enough starting pitching depth behind ace Garrett Crochet to get by, with Brayan Bello, Lucas Giolito and Walker Buehler already in place, Fitts returning to the majors and Tanner Houck close to activation. Even Patrick Sandoval, who underwent Tommy John surgery with the Los Angeles Angels last summer, could make it back by August.

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