Boston Red Sox News

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Kutter Crawford • SP • Red Sox

Kutter Crawford Going for More Imaging

Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora said that right-hander Kutter Crawford (wrist, forearm) is still sore and will probably have more tests done, according to Chris Henrique of the Boston Sports Journal. Crawford was pulled from his minor-league rehab assignment on Wednesday with a sore wrist/forearm. It's obviously not good news for the starting pitcher, especially after he missed all of last year after having right-wrist surgery. The 30-year-old former 16th-round pick out of Florida Gulf Coast University in 2017 lost a league-high 16 games in his last season with the BoSox in 2024, also posting a 4.36 ERA (4.65 FIP) and 1.12 WHIP with 175 strikeouts and 51 walks in 183 2/3 innings over his 33 starts. Crawford also led the league in home runs allowed (34). Even if Crawford manages to avoid another surgery, his return doesn't look to be close at all. You can continue to ignore him in mixed fantasy leagues.

Yesterday

Roman Anthony • RF • Red Sox

Roman Anthony Heating Up at the Plate After Slow Start

Boston Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony had a disappointing start to the season, slashing .200/.290/.309 with a .272 wOBA and 65 wRC+ over his first 14 games, but there are signs that perhaps he's about to turn it around. The 6-foot-3 slugger is 5-for-10 (.500) over his last three games, including a pair of doubles and more walks (three) than strikeouts (two). Not only that, his average exit velocity (EV) through the first 14 games stood at 90.6 mph, but during this recent three-game hot streak, the left-handed hitter is registering an average EV of 101.7 mph. To put it in perspective, the league's average EV leader, Nick Kurtz, owns an average EV of 98.3. Hitting .246 with a .330 wOBA overall for the season, Anthony's xBA of .271 and xwOBA of .355 point to brighter days ahead, too, so fantasy managers should remain patient.

Yesterday

Willson Contreras • 1B • Red Sox

Willson Contreras Returns to Red Sox Lineup on Friday

Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras (back) is starting at first base and is hitting in the two-hole in Friday's series opener against the visiting Detroit Tigers and right-hander Casey Mize at Fenway Park, according to MLB.com. Contreras suffered from back tightness earlier this week and was held out of Wednesday's game against the Minnesota Twins. With an off day on Thursday, he's feeling much better and will return to the starting nine in Beantown. Fantasy managers will be hoping that his back injury won't affect him at the plate moving forward, as Contreras has been one of the most consistent hitters in baseball in the first couple of weeks of the season. The 33-year-old three-time All-Star comes into Friday's action slashing .298/.444/.491 with a .936 OPS, three home runs, 11 RBI, and nine runs scored in 57 at-bats. Contreras has faced Mize just twice in his career and has one hit with a 1.000 OPS. Get him back into your starting lineups.

Yesterday

Payton Tolle • SP • Red Sox

Payton Tolle Remains a High-End Stash Ahead of Week 4

Boston Red Sox pitching prospect Payton Tolle is biding his time in Worcester until it is his turn to get the call to the majors, which shouldn't be long now. Boston's top-ranked prospect was roughed up in his first start at Triple-A this year, but has been very effective in his last two turns through the rotation, allowing one earned run on seven hits and two walks while striking out 13 in 11 innings of work in those two outings. After breezing through three levels of the minors in 2025, recording a 3.04 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, and 133 strikeouts in 91 2/3 innings pitched, the southpaw made his big league debut at the end of August. Despite some growing pains, the former second-round draft pick displayed the strikeout potential, tallying 19 strikeouts in 16 1/3 IP. With some more seasoning under his belt, the 23-year-old should fare better this time around once a spot opens up in the big league rotation, and he remains a must-stash in deeper leagues; he could even be a viable waiver add in shallower formats for managers looking for help.

2 days ago

Trevor Story • SS • Red Sox

Trevor Story Carries Red Sox With Five RBI on Wednesday

Boston Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story did a lot of damage at the plate in Wednesday's 9-5 win over the hosting Minnesota Twins at Target Field in the series finale. Story finished the day 2-for-4 at the plate with five RBI, a three-run home run, and a walk. In addition to his three-run blast, Story had a two-run double to drive in five total runs on the day. Despite only hitting .208 on the year with a .560 OPS after Wednesday's performance, Story already has two home runs and 17 RBI in his first 18 games played. The 33-year-old two-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger winner might finally be starting to break out of his early-season funk at the plate. Sticking in the middle of Boston's batting order will help Story deliver plenty of run production for his fantasy managers if he can stay healthy. Last year was the first time that Story played in over 100 games with the team in his fourth year in Beantown.

3 days ago

Willson Contreras • 1B • Red Sox

Willson Contreras Not in Wednesday's Lineup

Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras (back) is not in the starting lineup on Wednesday against the hosting Minnesota Twins at Target Field, according to MLB.com. Andruw Monasterio is drawing the start at first base and will hit sixth for the BoSox against Twins right-hander Simeon Woods Richardson. Lower-back tightness forced Contreras to leave Tuesday's 6-0 loss early, and he's now considered day-to-day with the injury. The Red Sox have an off day coming on Thursday, so fantasy managers will want to check back to see if Contreras is feeling good enough to return to action for Friday's series opener against the Detroit Tigers at Fenway Park. Hopefully, the Venezuelan's back injury doesn't disrupt his timing at the plate early in the season, as he's so far hitting .298 (17-for-57) with three home runs, 11 RBI, and nine runs scored for Boston. Monasterio will be a deep DFS sleeper play on Wednesday. He's gone 2-for-14 so far with two RBI, and he's never faced Woods Richardson.

3 days ago

Willson Contreras • 1B • Red Sox

Willson Contreras Exits Early on Tuesday Due to Lower-Back Tightness

Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras (back) has been removed from his team's Tuesday night matchup against the Minnesota Twins due to lower-back tightness, per Tim Healey of The Boston Globe. Contreras was hitless in two at-bats before exiting the game. The 33-year-old is off to a strong start to his first season with Boston, hitting .298/.444/.491 with three home runs, 11 RBI, and nine runs scored. It doesn't appear as though this latest back ailment is particularly serious, but it will be worth monitoring for fantasy managers nonetheless. Contreras was replaced by utility man Andruw Monasterio on Tuesday, so Monasterio could be the favorite to see an increase in playing time if Contreras ends up requiring a stint on the injured list.

4 days ago

Triston Casas • 1B • Red Sox

Triston Casas Shut Down With Abdominal Strain

Boston Red Sox first baseman Triston Casas (abdomen, knee) is dealing with an abdominal strain and will be shut down until he feels better, according to Tim Healey of The Boston Globe. The good news is that Casas' abdominal strain is not related to his rib-cage issue from two years ago, according to manager Alex Cora. Once Casas is feeling better, he'll have to go through a spring training-style buildup, so it's going to be a while before we see him back in the big leagues. The 26-year-old left-handed slugger only made it through 29 games in 2025 before suffering a season-ending patellar tendon tear. Casas hit only .182/.277/.303 with three homers and 11 RBI in those 29 games, too. In 132 games in 2023 in his first full season in the majors, Casas hit .263 with 24 home runs and 65 RBI in 502 plate appearances, but injuries have wrecked his last two seasons. Willson Contreras is locked in at first base for the BoSox now, so when Casas is finally ready to make his 2026 debut, he could be battling for at-bats in the designated-hitter role.

4 days ago

Garrett Crochet • SP • Red Sox

Garrett Crochet Implodes on Monday, Is There a Cause for Concern?

Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Garrett Crochet had an uncharacteristically rough outing on Monday night, allowing 10 runs on nine hits and three walks, while recording only five outs against the Twins. His velocity was down, and he allowed home runs to Victor Caratini and Ryan Kreidler in one of the worst statistical starts of his career. The Red Sox and their ace did not indicate they had any injury concerns coming out of the game, but it was an alarmingly bad showing that will take some time for his ERA to recover from. While it's definitely not the time to panic about Crochet just yet, his next outing will be an important one for him to prove this was just a blip and not a trend. His next start lines up for Sunday afternoon at home against the Tigers.

4 days ago

Payton Tolle • SP • Red Sox

Payton Tolle Carries High-End Stash Upside Entering Week 3

Boston Red Sox pitching prospect Payton Tolle remains a must-stash candidate in Week 3 of the fantasy baseball season. Tolle is coming off another strong showing at Triple-A Worcester, where he logged five shutout innings with just three hits and one walk while striking out six hitters. In his previous outing, Tolle was just as sharp, logging six innings of two-run ball (one earned run) with seven punchouts and four hits. While the southpaw fell short of the Opening Day rotation, he could be on the verge of returning to Boston. Last week, the Red Sox placed right-handed starter Johan Oviedo (elbow) on the 15-day injured list, which opens a spot on the roster for Tolle. While the rotation is filled at the moment, Tolle is the next candidate waiting in the wings. Given that he struck out 133 hitters over 91 2/3 innings last summer, he should be viewed as the top pitcher to stash in all formats.

5 days ago

Triston Casas • 1B • Red Sox

Triston Casas to be Out a While With Rib Injury

The Boston Red Sox are still waiting for imaging results on first baseman Triston Casas (rib, knee), who is dealing with an intercostal (rib muscle) strain on his left side that is expected to keep him out for a while, according to Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com. "Right now, we're going to treat it like an oblique, rib injury," manager Alex Cora said. "He's going to be out for a while, but we're still waiting for the news from the doctor." It's yet another injury for Casas, who is near the end of a long road back from a ruptured patellar tendon in his left knee that ended his season prematurely in 2025. The strength in his left knee continued to improve recently, but he paused his progression during the first week of April when he felt pain on his left side. Casas shut things down when he felt enough pain while trying to hit off a tee on Monday. The team expects to know more about Casas' situation when a final diagnosis is given on Monday or Tuesday. It's believed that he has avoided a worst-case scenario, but it's another setback for a young lefty slugger who hasn't caught a break in the health department.

7 days ago

Garrett Crochet • SP • Red Sox

Garrett Crochet Living Up to the Hype This Season

Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Garrett Crochet was one of the first pitchers off the board in most fantasy baseball drafts, and so far this season, he has looked every bit the ace managers were hoping for. In his three starts, Crochet is 2-1 with a 3.12 ERA, 2.60 FIP, and 22 strikeouts in 17 1/3 innings. He started the year with six shutout innings in a win over the Reds, got touched up a bit in Houston, but then settled back in to help the Red Sox beat the Brew Crew on Thursday with 6 1/3 strong innings. He has at least seven strikeouts in each start, and is performing like a top-of-the-rotation arm through his first three starts. He'll face the Twins on Monday in Minnesota and would seem to be lined up for a two-start week next week. He's one of the most reliable starting pitchers available and can continue to anchor your rotation in fantasy baseball.

Apr 9

Payton Tolle • SP • Red Sox

Payton Tolle Entering Must-Stash Territory

Boston Red Sox left-handed pitching prospect Payton Tolle is coming off a dominant outing at Triple-A and is quickly entering must-stash territory. Facing Triple-A St. Paul, the southpaw logged six innings of two-run ball (one earned run) with four hits and just one walk. He struck out seven hitters. This was a strong bounce-back outing compared to his Triple-A season debut when he allowed four runs over four innings against Syracuse, with six punchouts. Tolle was unable to crack the Opening Day rotation but is nearing a return to the majors much sooner than expected. The Red Sox recently placed Johan Oviedo (elbow) on the 15-day injured list, and their current No. 4 starter, Bryan Bello, has posted a hefty 9.00 ERA over his first two outings of the season. If Tolle turns in another dominant showing at Triple-A, he could be in the mix to add some much-needed depth to this rotation. The hard-throwing lefty possesses elite strikeout upside and should be viewed as a top pitching prospect to stash in all formats.

Apr 8

Johan Oviedo • SP • Red Sox

Johan Oviedo Shut Down for Six Weeks With Flexor Strain

Boston Red Sox right-hander Johan Oviedo (elbow) has a flexor strain in his right elbow and is being shut down for six weeks, according to Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic. For now, Oviedo will undergo surgery, but he's obviously facing an extended absence and may not be an option again for Boston's starting rotation until the second half of the season. Expect the team to shift him from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL soon. The 28-year-old Cuban hurler only made one appearance out of the bullpen for Boston this year before his injury, allowing four earned runs on six hits (two homers) while walking one and striking out three in 3 2/3 innings pitched. In addition to concerns about his control on the mound, Oviedo has also had plenty of durability questions, and his latest injury only exacerbates that. If Oviedo can avoid going under the knife in 2026, don't be surprised if he's brought back as a long reliever or swing man for the Red Sox later this season.

Apr 8

Marcelo Mayer • 3B • Red Sox

Marcelo Mayer Starting on the Bench Against a Lefty

Boston Red Sox infielder Marcelo Mayer is out of the starting lineup on Wednesday against the visiting Milwaukee Brewers and left-hander Shane Drohan at Fenway Park, according to MLB.com. Isiah Kiner-Falefa will draw the start at second base for the BoSox and will hit ninth in the series finale. Mayer, 23, is taking on a bigger role in 2026 in his first full year in the big leagues, but Boston will shield him from some left-handers even though he's already homered off a southpaw this year. In the early going, the former first-rounder has gone 5-for-29 (.172) with a homer, three doubles, three RBI, five runs scored, two walks, and 11 strikeouts in 33 plate appearances over 11 games. Kiner-Falefa has never faced Drohan in his career and will be a weak DFS option on Wednesday in the nine-hole for Boston. The utility man is still searching for his first hit of the year after going hitless with two strikeouts in his first eight plate appearances over four games.

Apr 8

Payton Tolle • SP • Red Sox

Payton Tolle Strikes Out Seven in Latest Outing, Carries High-End Stash Upside

Boston Red Sox left-handed pitching prospect Payton Tolle enjoyed a dominant outing at Triple-A on Sunday and is emerging as the top pitching prospect to stash. Facing Saint Paul, Tolle logged six frames of two-run ball (one earned run) with four hits, one walk, and seven punchouts. This was a major improvement over the six runs (four earned) he allowed in his season debut back on March 29 against Triple-A Syracuse. Tolle was in contention to break camp with the MLB roster, but eventually fell short in the competition as fellow prospect Connelly Early claimed the final role. However, with Johan Oviedo (elbow) hitting the 15-day IL, Tolle now has a clear path to return to Boston much sooner than expected. In 2025, Tolle progressed through the system very quickly, striking out 133 hitters over 91 2/3 innings. He is a top stash candidate in all formats as he could return to Boston in the coming weeks.

Apr 6

Kutter Crawford • SP • Red Sox

Kutter Crawford Scheduled to Face Hitters Early Next Week

Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Kutter Crawford (wrist) will face live hitters in a simulated game at Fenway Park next week, according to Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com. Following the sim game, Crawford will be sent to one of the Red Sox' minor league affiliates to begin his rehab assignment. The veteran right-hander missed all of last season with a knee injury, and he's now working his way back from offseason wrist surgery. He last pitched in 2024, making 33 starts with a 3.85 xERA, 8.58 K/9, and 2.50 BB/9. Crawford is still at least a couple of weeks away from returning to the majors, but it will be interesting to see his role when he does return. The Red Sox have a filled-out rotation at the moment. Garrett Crochet, Ranger Suarez, and Sonny Gray are locks to stay in the rotation. Connelly Early has pitched well enough to remain a starter, and it's unclear if Boston would be willing to bump Brayan Bello out of the rotation this early in the year.

Apr 4

Triston Casas • 1B • Red Sox

Triston Casas to Start Swinging Progression on Monday

Boston Red Sox first baseman Triston Casas (knee, ribs) will start a hitting progression again on Monday, manager Alex Cora told Ari Alexander of WHDH. Casas had been swinging a bat at the end of March, but he suffered a setback this past week and had to temporarily pause his rehab. The setback was actually a new rib injury, and was fortunately not related to the left patellar tendon rupture he suffered last May. The new injury will nevertheless delay his return to the majors, but the fact that he's going to restart his hitting progression in the next few days is a good sign. Casas is looking to bounce back after posting a subpar .182/.277/.303 slash line with a 24.1% strikeout rate and 56 wRC+ through 29 games early last season. Willson Contreras remains the Red Sox' everyday first baseman for now, with Andruw Monasterio presumably available to play the position in an emergency.

Apr 4

Jedixson Paez • SP • Red Sox

Jedixson Paez Returned to Red Sox

Right-hander Jedixson Paez has cleared waivers and has been returned to the Boston Red Sox, according to the Chicago White Sox, reports Scott Merkin of MLB.com. Paez was a Rule 5 selection by the White Sox, but the experiment ended quickly after Paez allowed six earned runs on four hits (two home runs) while walking three and striking out none in three relief innings to begin his big-league career. The 22-year-old had never pitched above High-A in the minors before debuting with the White Sox early this year, so he will definitely benefit from some more seasoning on the farm back in the Red Sox's organization. Paez looked good in just 19 1/3 innings with High-A Greenville in 2025 while dealing with a calf injury, posting a 2.79 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and 23:3 K:BB. There's still hope for Paez long-term, as he has displayed a nice combination of strikeout upside and control. He's just probably not quite ready to retire hitters consistently at the major-league level.

Apr 4

Garrett Whitlock • RP • Red Sox

Garrett Whitlock Goes on Paternity Leave

The Boston Red Sox placed right-hander Garrett Whitlock on paternity leave on Friday, according to Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic. Whitlock will be away from the Red Sox for up to three days as he leaves for the birth of his child. The 29-year-old has become a full-time reliever again after he made 23 starts for the BoSox from 2022 to 2024. In his three relief outings so far in 2026 as a late-inning setup man for Boston, Whitlock has thrown three scoreless innings while giving up two hits, walking two, and striking out four. He is the team's primary eighth-inning setup man in front of closer Aroldis Chapman, and he should once again be a strong source of holds in fantasy formats that count the category. Whitlock settled into a relief role nicely in 2025 and had a career-high 31.1% strikeout rate in the late innings.

Apr 3

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