The Boston Red Sox's added pitching depth was one of the biggest stories of their offseason, but they'll still begin the 2025 slate short on starting pitchers.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora has confirmed that Kutter Crawford will start the season on the injured list. The righty has been healing knee soreness since he arrived at camp, and his status for the Opening Day roster has been in question for a while.
After its offseason pitching additions, Crawford was most likely going to be Boston's No. 6 starter and be subbed into the rotation from the bullpen as needed. Even without him, the Red Sox have more pitching depth than last year, so they're still in a fine spot.
However, Brayan Bello's Opening Day status is also uncertain. He's been battling shoulder soreness this spring and is ahead of Crawford in terms of recovery, but there's still a possibility he isn't ready by March 27.
Kutter Crawford to open Red Sox season on injured list, Brayan Bello's Opening Day status still uncertain
The Sox's 2024 Opening Day starter threw a bullpen on Feb. 28 and was told to keep his effort less than 100%. Boston expects Bello to be a critical piece of the rotation this year and is keeping him slow-played as a result. If the young righty isn't ready for Opening Day, Boston has considered Quinn Priester or Richard Fitts as potential replacements in the rotation until Bello is fully healthy.
The Red Sox's early injuries extended beyond just pitchers. Wilyer Abreu came to spring training with a "gastrointestinal virus," which kept him out of baseball activities for the first few weeks. He was only able to participate in workouts until his labs came back clear.
Red Sox's Wilyer Abreu cleared for baseball activities, Ceddanne Rafaela's hamstring tightness 'nothing serious'
Thankfully, on Feb. 28, Abreu was cleared to participate in baseball activities. The 2024 Gold Glove winner is confident he'll be ready to go on Opening Day, and even said the illness may have helped him. Abreu lost weight while he was sick, and he told Christopher Smith of MassLive that he feels more "in form" than he was last season.
Another Red Sox outfielder also missed some time recently. Boston rested Ceddanne Rafaela on March 4 due to hamstring tightness. Cora described the injury as "nothing serious," and Rafaela is expected to be back in action soon.
Rafaela tweaked his swing mechanics over the winter and it's translated to success at the plate. If he continues to improve his offense and his defense stays as exceptional and athletic as it was last year, he could play himself into a starting role in the outfield, as long as Cora's assessment of his injury is correct.