Red Sox Announce Kutter Crawford, Patrick Sandoval Updates

Are these two going to be full go for opening day?

Sep 28, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Kutter Crawford (50) walks of the field after being taken out of the game in the fifth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images | Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

Part of what makes predicting the success of next year's Boston Red Sox team so difficult is that we don't know who will be healthy enough to take a full-time spot in the rotation.

At this time last year, we thought Tanner Houck and Kutter Crawford would both be locked into spots for the entire season, as they were in 2024. Instead, Houck took a major step back before succumbing to Tommy John surgery, and Crawford had his progress slowed by a lingering knee injury, then his season cut short by a freak accident wrist injury.

Crawford is back in the picture to begin 2026, as is Patrick Sandoval, who the Red Sox signed to a two-year deal coming off Tommy John last year. It's hard to know at this juncture what Boston can expect from either, but step one is getting them on the mound during spring training and seeing how close they are to taking the ball for a start.

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On Friday, Red Sox pitching coach Andrew Bailey provided updates on Crawford and Sandoval, indicating that the club was hopeful that each would be able to participate in game action during spring training, which could theoretically put them on track

"Both of them are in their offseason throwing programs right now," Bailey told MassLive's Sean McAdam. "Kutter’s down in Fort Myers and Patrick’s out in Arizona. They’re connecting with our medical group. We’re pushing forward to spring training to get them back into games.

"I don’t think it’s fair to put a timeline on them when they’re dealing with injuries, but the expectation is that they’re executing their offseason programs. They both missed competition for a long period of time and we definitely don’t want to back them into corners. ... But where they’re at, they should be in a good spot in terms of competition in order to challenge themselves and hit those goals.”

Unlike last season, the Red Sox clearly have the rotation depth to survive extended absences from pitchers like Sandoval and Crawford. But if both are healthy, Boston's Triple-A roster will look like an All-Star team.

Meanwhile, chief baseball officer Craig Breslow has to be weighng how much he trusts these two to perform this season as he mulls trading some of the younger pitchers on the staff for an impact piece.

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