Red Sox $18 Million Hurler Unlikely for Opening Day

It sounds like one of the Boston Red Sox's veteran pitchers isn't going to be ready for Opening Day.

The Red Sox entered Spring Training with this big question about who the No. 5 starter was going to be in the rotation. While the club hasn't announced its choice, the chatter heading into camp was that the options for the job were Johan Oviedo, Connelly Early, Payton Tolle, Patrick Sandoval and Kutter Crawford. At this point, neither Sandoval nor Crawford has pitched in a Spring Training game. So, the competition really is between Oviedo, Early and Tolle.

Sandoval has been someone who has impressed Red Sox manager Alex Cora, but the club has been building him up slowly. So much so that Tim Healey of The Boston Globe reported that the club is preparing a "deload week" for him and that it would make him unlikely to be ready in time for Opening Day.

The Red Sox hurler isn't expected to be ready for Opening Day

Feb 17, 2026; Lee County, FL, USA; Boston Red Sox pitcher Patrick Sandoval (43) poses for a photo during media day at JetBlue Park. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

"In a move that eliminates whatever slim chance might have existed that Patrick Sandoval would be ready for the start of the season, the Red Sox are reducing the intensity of his training in a 'deload week,' [Alex Cora] said," Healey wrote. "Instead of another simulated game Wednesday, Sandoval will take a by-design step back and throw an extended bullpen session — no batters — on Thursday instead, Sandoval said. Then he’ll continue with his starter buildup. He said he hopes to get into a Grapefruit League game before they end in two weeks.

"'I’ve been going pretty hard out here since the beginning of January,' Sandoval said. 'I’m not the biggest fan of this deload, but it’s what they prescribe and what they think will be good for me in the long run. I’ve trusted them so far, so I’m going to keep trusting them.' Sandoval is 20 months removed from Tommy John surgery. He said a rehab assignment to begin the year 'absolutely' sounds like a good idea because he is 'just itching to get back out there for real.'"

The two biggest points that stand out here are the fact that Healey said this eliminates the "slim chance" of Sandoval being ready for Opening Day. On top of this, the fact that Healey noted that Sandoval will continue to build up as a starter is interesting as well. There's been a lot of chatter about the idea of Sandoval potentially being a bullpen option for the club. So, it sounds like he won't be ready to go on Opening Day and as of this moment, he won't be a bullpen option as well.

At some point, Sandoval is going to help this club. Boston gave him a two-year, $18.25 million deal for a reason ahead of the 2025 season. When healthy, this guy can help a playoff team. It doesn't sound like that will happen on Opening Day, but at some point he will help this club.