Three Starters To Begin Season on the Injured List, but for How Long?

With the regular season only a few days away, the Boston Red Sox roster decisions are coming down to the last few spots in the bullpen. However, the spring didn’t go as planned, as the starting rotation is dealing with a few injuries. The good news is that the team has the depth to handle those losses.

Since Craig Breslow took over, starting pitching depth a priority. Richard Fitts and Quinn Priester were brought in through trades, while the likes of Cooper Criswell, Patrick Sandoval, and Sean Newcomb signed contracts over the two offseasons. Those additions will come in handy, as three potential members of the starting rotation won’t be ready for the start of the season and will instead begin on the injured list. However, they may not be out for long.

Kutter Crawford was the first pitcher to go down. He has been dealing with a knee issue since he was drafted. In an interview with MassLive’s Sean McAdam, Crawford admits that this issue has been with him since 2017, but only during last season did it get bad enough to really bother him. Crawford did not get into a single game during spring training due to the issue, but he did throw off of flat ground and in the bullpen a few times. There is nothing set in stone yet in terms of a rehab appearance, but the hope is that he’ll be able to pitch in Boston before the end of April.

Brayan Bello has also been sidelined for a bit, but unlike Crawford looks to be closer to returning. Bello spent most of spring training ramping up after experiencing shoulder soreness at the start of camp. He progressed to throwing live batting practice, and his last appearance was in a minor league game on Saturday. In that game, he went 1 2/3 innings and he will throw again this upcoming Thursday in a minor league spring game in Fort Myers. The plan could change depending on how his shoulder recovers from Thursday’s outing, but Alex Cora said Bello will likely start twice during Worcester’s road trip to Jacksonville. If he’s finally built up after that, the belief is Bello will be back with Boston for the second road trip of the season in mid-April.

Lucas Giolito was the latest of the group to go down, straining his hamstring in his first spring training appearance. He lasted two innings in that game but felt the injury during his first batter. Giolito feels the injury isn’t too big of a deal, having dealt with worse. He continued to throw on the backfields and eventually pitched two scoreless innings in a minor league game on March 23rd. While nothing has been officially announced, Giolito himself said that the plan is to have him start his rehab assignment with Worcester when they make their road trip to Jacksonville at the start of April. If all goes well, he should be back with Boston at some point in April.

All three pitchers are expected to be key contributors to the Red Sox this season, so it’s good news  that they won’t be out for long periods of time. However, thanks to their pitching depth the Red Sox are fortunate to not have to rush any of them back and can instead allow them the proper time to get ready for the season. 

The rotation is shaping up to include Garrett Crochet, Tanner Houck, Walker Buehler, Richard Fitts, and after an incredible spring training, Sean Newcomb. That could change quickly depending on the length of the rehab appearances for Bello, Crawford, and Giolito. While it hasn't been stated or even hinted at, it may be safe to assume that once healthy, Bello and Giolito will slot back into the rotation for Fitts and Newcomb. Of course, should the youngsters pitch well, it'll make for an interesting discussion between Cora and Breslow as they try to figure out the best rotation. There's a good chance that Fitts will be sent back to Worcester and Newcomb will either slot into the bullpen and serve as a multi-inning reliever if he pitches well, or be designated for assignment should he struggle. 

Once everyone is healthy, some tough conversations will be required to decide who stays in the rotation and who is sent to the bullpen, or even Worcester.