Is this 2026 Red Sox team…CONTENDERS or PRETENDERS?

[southpaw777]

1 minute ago, moonslav59 said:

We will almost certainly need Bello or Crochet to eat some innings, if we stay in this thing and keep Gray.

Early and Tolle will be limited, and Bennett will not be overworked.

Gray & Suarez will need to max out.

I doubt Crawford or Oviedo even pitch. Houck is a long shot, even in a relief role for 2026.

Uberstine is a pen arm, and Holobetz & Eyanson are in AA and not on the 40.

Has Crochet even started throwing yet? I haven’t heard anything.

[moonslav59]

9 minutes ago, southpaw777 said:

I know butHe just returned last year and they will NOT throw him 172. I doubt his arm would go that far at this point anyway…. 

You are probably right, but I read pitchers usually throw between 50 and 130 inning in their first season back. This is his second, after he pitched 75 in the minors, last year.

I know Verlander is not human, but he won a Cy Young at age 39, the year after surgery (1.5 years after and 175 IP.)

[southpaw777]

6 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

You are probably right, but I read pitchers usually throw between 50 and 130 inning in their first season back. This is his second, after he pitched 75 in the minors, last year.

I know Verlander is not human, but he won a Cy Young at age 39, the year after surgery (1.5 years after and 175 IP.)

You’re right Justin Verlander is definitely not human…I’m just saying that there are big obstacles in our way of getting to a ring this year. Way more teams in much better positions. I don’t want to overuse young guys when this team is NOT a real legit contender this year. We’d also be selling the future, which I believe is really good with the players we have almost ready for their turn in the show.

[moonslav59]

Just now, southpaw777 said:

You’re right Justin Verlander is definitely not human…I’m just saying that there are big obstacles in our way of getting to a ring this year. Way more teams in much better positions. I don’t want to overuse young guys when this team is NOT a real legit contender this year. We’d also be selling the future, which I believe is really good with the players we have almost ready for their turn in the show.

We agree. I'm not for giving up the future for a long shot at something special, this year.

I'm hoping 2027 can be special, and selling this deadline improves those odds.

[Yaz Fan Since 67]

33 minutes ago, southpaw777 said:

Has Crochet even started throwing yet? I haven’t heard anything.

I just checked on this yesterday and sadly the answer is no.  

[southpaw777]

12 minutes ago, Yaz Fan Since 67 said:

I just checked on this yesterday and sadly the answer is no.  

Some fans need to realize that Crochet  had lengthy injury stints in the past so this isn’t so new and to not expect him to be anything close to himself this year. If he makes it back. Same with Ranger. Dude starts 26ish games a year, but I think he’ll be back in a couple three weeks

[moonslav59]

11 minutes ago, Yaz Fan Since 67 said:

I just checked on this yesterday and sadly the answer is no.  

Nope, but Oviedo, Crawford and Houck have.

[JoeBrady]

4 hours ago, southpaw777 said:

Some fans need to realize that Crochet  had lengthy injury stints in the past so this isn’t so new and to not expect him to be anything close to himself this year. If he makes it back. Same with Ranger. Dude starts 26ish games a year, but I think he’ll be back in a couple three weeks

The updates on Crochet have been similar, with the latest coming about two weeks ago when he told MassLive's Chris Cotillo that he has been throwing with plyometric balls, but still not real baseballs.

Don't know what that means, but I doubt he'd be throwing anything if his injury was serious.