Red Sox Breathe Easy After Patrick Sandoval Injury Scare

The Boston Red Sox got some good news about veteran starter Patrick Sandoval on Monday.

Patrick Sandoval pitches at Polar Park during a rehab start in Worcester April 8. | Rick Cinclair/Telegram & Gazette / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Boston Red Sox seemingly avoided a disaster with injured starting pitcher Patrick Sandoval.

The 29-year-old hasn't appeared in a big league game since June 21, 2024. In 2024, Sandoval was the Opening Day starter for the Los Angeles Angels but his season was cut short after undergoing elbow surgery. Sandoval signed with the Red Sox and it was known that he would miss at least miss most of the season. He ended up missing the entire campaign.

Boston brought Sandoval along slowly throughout Spring Training and he has since kicked off a minor league rehab assignment since the 2026 season began. But, it was put on pause as he was returned to Boston on Sunday after dealing with bicep soreness after his last start.

Fortunately, MassLive.com's Chris Cotillo reported on Monday that the current expectation is that he doesn't need to undergo imaging on the injury and that the team is hopeful a few days of rest will get him back on track.

Patrick Sandoval Avoided The Worst-Case Scenario

Left-handed pitcher Patrick Sandoval makes his first rehab start with Triple-A Worcester on April 8, 2026, after undergoing surgery on his left elbow in 2024. | Ashley Green/WooSox Photo / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"[Red Sox manager Alex Cora] said Patrick Sandoval (biceps soreness) is not likely to have imaging. Instead, Red Sox hope a couple days of rest will do the trick. Doesn’t seem to be much concern," Cotillo wrote.

This certainly is positive. The fact that the club doesn't currently think Sandoval needs imaging is a positive sign that he will be alright and back on the mound in the very near future. The timing is especially positive as Sonny Gray was forced to exit the Red Sox's contest against the Detroit Tigers on Monday afternoon. Gray is expected to undergo an MRI on Tuesday to determine if he will need to miss time moving forward. Boston's depth has been hit hard already this season.

If Gray needs to miss time, the Red Sox easily could turn to Payton Tolle to replace him right now. But what if another injury pops up? The Red Sox are going to need Sandoval at some point to help the club out in the majors, whether that is in the starting rotation or in the bullpen. The perception around the Red Sox's pitching depth has already heavily shifted, but fortunately, the club has seemingly avoided the worst-case scenario.

So, now, we wait. There should be more information in the coming days, but as of right now, it seems like everything is alright for the 29-year-old looking to make it back to the bigs.