So far in 2025, the Boston Red Sox have done what they needed to do. Despite some roster flaws that have already shown themselves over the first month of the season or so, the Red Sox have a winning record and have as much young, emerging talent as any team in baseball. Unfortunately, the injury bug not only just attacked a big piece of Boston's young core, but also one of their key offseason acquisitions.
Walker Buehler signing with Boston was hailed at the time as the last big piece of the rotation puzzle they were trying to solve. They already had traded for Garrett Crochet, and adding Buehler on a make-good deal gave the Red Sox a pretty fearsome rotation on paper.
But on Thursday, it became public that seems Buehler is dealing with shoulder troubles and is heading back to Boston for further evaluation.
Making matters worse, one of Boston best hitters and one of the AL Rookie of the Year frontrunners, Kristian Campbell, is banged up as well, as he was scratched from the lineup with discomfort with a rib on his right side.
Red Sox suffer double whammy as both Walker Buehler and Kristian Campbell are dealing with injuries
Let's start with Campbell, as his injury seems to be less serious at least for the moment. You never want to see a guy scratched before a game, but it does seem to indicate that the plan was for him to play on Thursday. We'll find out more after the game, in all likelihood, but rib injuries in general aren't a long-term concern.
Buehler, on the other hand, could be a problem. While Boston only committed one year to the veteran starter, they really need him to be able to cover meaningful innings in 2025. It is nice that it doesn't appear as though his twice surgically-repaired elbow isn the cause of his latest malady, but shoulder injuries are arguably worse news, as they can range from a prognosis of a couple of days rest to a season of rehab. Buehler reportedly didn't bounce back well from his previous start, which can be an indicator of longer-term worries. Hopefully his scans bring good news.
Sorry, Red Sox fans. The high of getting Lucas Giolito back healthy wasn't meant to last, apparently.