The battle for the fifth spot in the Boston Red Sox's rotation is underway, and the latest reports say that offseason trade addition Johan Oviedo is the frontrunner for the job. Conelly Early and Payton Tolle are the other options, while rehabbing starters Kutter Crawford and Patrick Sandoval are not among them.
Crawford and Sandoval are still recovering from injuries and surgeries that kept them out of action for the entire 2025 season. Crawford came to spring training 2025 with patellar tendonitis and later developed a wrist issue that required season-ending surgery. Sandoval underwent UCL surgery in the middle of the 2024 season. Boston hoped he'd be able to pitch in the second half of 2025, but didn't get so lucky.
Crawford and Sandoval are likely not being considered for the Opening Day rotation at this point because they haven't appeared in any spring training games. But on February 27, they got closer to their debuts, as they both threw live batting practice sessions.
Crawford's BP session was the first time he's faced live batters since last summer when he was ramping up to return from his knee injury. His wrist injury then sidelined him for the rest of the year.
Red Sox starters Kutter Crawford and Patrick Sandoval threw live BP sessions on February 27
One down 👏 https://t.co/LcSsP19tEr pic.twitter.com/O2Wl7n7mi9
— NESN (@NESN) February 27, 2026
Jahmai Webster of NESN spoke to Crawford after his BP session, which he said went well in pitching coach Andrew Bailey's eyes. He's expected to throw another BP next week.
Sandoval has already thrown a BP session on February 13, during which he faced five batters, striking three of them out. He threw an efficient 15 pitches, an average of three per batter faced. Alex Cora has been impressed with his velocity so far in his rehab, which has reached 94-95 miles per hour on the radar gun.
Reports have cited Johan Oviedo as the current leader for Boston's fifth rotation spot because Crawford and Sandoval are behind all the other starters in camp. Ranger Suárez and Brayan Bello will soon leave spring training to participate in the World Baseball Classic, which will give the remaining pitchers more playing time.
Oviedo's Red Sox spring training debut included three walks over 1.2 innings and he'll have to tighten his command to remain the frontrunner for the fifth starting job. If he doesn't, and Crawford and Sandoval continue to heal, maybe they could jump into his spot.