Boston Red Sox News

Boston Red Sox left-hander Garrett Crochet (shoulder) said he is throwing a bullpen session on Wednesday, according to Tim Healey of The Boston Globe. It's a big step in his return from left-shoulder inflammation that landed him on the 15-day injured list back on April 29. While Crochet is making progress, he's unlikely to return right when he's eligible to come off the IL, and he could require one or two minor-league rehab starts before he rejoins Boston's starting rotation. It's been a rather disappointing 2026 season to this point for one of the best left-handed pitchers in the game after he finished second in the American League Cy Young voting a year ago. Crochet went 3-3 before landing on the IL with a 6.30 ERA (4.32 FIP) and 1.47 WHIP with 37 strikeouts and 11 walks in 30 innings across his six starts. Despite his underwhelming numbers early on and an IL stint, Crochet should be stashed in all fantasy leagues.

Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras (hand) is back in the starting lineup and is batting cleanup for Wednesday's game at Fenway Park against the visiting Philadelphia Phillies and right-hander Andrew Painter, according to MLB.com. Contreras was held out of the last couple of games due to a bruised right hand, but he's back in there and in the heart of the order. The 34-year-old Venezuelan is returning to a .259/.380/.467 slash line with an .846 OPS, eight home runs, 23 RBI, 19 runs scored, and a stolen base in his first 39 games of the 2026 season. In nine games so far in May, Contreras has been pretty average, batting .250 (7-for-28) with a homer, a double, three RBI, three runs scored, one stolen base, six walks, and 11 strikeouts. In traditional fantasy setups, get Contreras back into your starting lineups now that he's active again. Contreras has never faced Painter in his MLB career.

The Boston Red Sox may be struggling, but outfielder Wilyer Abreu hasn't been the problem so far in 2026. The 26-year-old Venezuelan outfielder is currently slashing .293/.374/.467 with an .841 OPS, six home runs, 18 RBI, 19 runs scored, and three stolen bases across 40 games and 171 plate appearances in his third full season in the big leagues. He has slowed down a bit in 10 games in May, but he hasn't been terrible at the plate, going 9-for-36 (.250) with two long balls, five RBI, four runs scored, and two stolen bases for a struggling Red Sox team that ranks 28th in baseball on offense with a .663 OPS. Abreu is currently in the 73rd percentile in hard-hit rate, the 81st percentile in xwOBA, the 85th percentile in expected slugging percentage, and the 62nd percentile in strikeout rate. He has also had reverse splits so far, hitting .372 (16-for-43) with one of his six home runs against left-handed pitchers. Fantasy managers should expect Abreu's average to come down a little, but his excellent glove will keep him in the lineup every day.

The Athletic's Jen McCaffrey reports that Boston Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony (wrist) is progressing, but he has not resumed baseball activities. His next test will be to see if he has full grip strength to grip a bat. Anthony isn't anywhere close to coming off the 10-day injured list after suffering a sprained right wrist. Boston will most likely take it very slow with the 21-year-old former top prospect, so there's a chance he won't be ready by the end of May. Masataka Yoshida has benefited from Anthony's injury and continues to see consistent playing time for the BoSox. He's hitting .279 (19-for-68), but it has come with just five RBI and no home runs in 25 games played. Fantasy managers have to be worried that Anthony's 2026 campaign is quickly turning into a lost season, and he's also quickly developing a reputation for being injury-prone after his rookie campaign was also cut short due to injury in 2025. Despite the concerns, the former second-rounder needs to be stashed in all fantasy formats for his high-end power/speed upside.

Boston Red Sox left-hander Garrett Crochet (shoulder) is progressing and resumed throwing off a mound on Tuesday after getting out to 120 feet while playing catch on Sunday, according to Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic. Crochet is currently on the 15-day injured list due to inflammation in his left shoulder. He will likely require at least one minor-league rehab start before rejoining Boston's starting rotation, but barring a setback, the two-time All-Star should be back well in advance of the start of June. Crochet finished second in the American League Cy Young voting in 2025 in his first year in Beantown after going 18-5 with a 2.59 ERA (2.89 FIP) and 1.03 WHIP with a league-high 255 strikeouts and 46 walks in a league-high 205 1/3 innings across 32 starts. Crochet is one of the most talented left-handed arms in baseball, even if his 2026 numbers don't reflect that. He went 3-3 with a 6.30 ERA (4.32 FIP) and 1.47 WHIP with 37 K's and 11 walks in six starts before going on the IL. Crochet is a must-stash pitcher in all fantasy baseball leagues.

Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras (hand) remains out of the starting lineup for Tuesday's series opener at Fenway Park against the visiting Philadelphia Phillies after he was hit by a pitch on his right hand on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Rays, per MLB.com. Imaging came back negative on Contreras' hand, though, so he could be back in the starting nine for the BoSox as soon as Wednesday. Mickey Gasper is making the start at first base and will hit in the two-hole on Tuesday against Phillies right-hander Zack Wheeler. The struggling Red Sox could use Contreras back in the lineup as soon as possible. In his first year with the team in 2026, he's hitting .259 (35-for-135) with eight home runs, 23 RBI, 19 runs scored, and a stolen base across 39 games and 166 plate appearances. Gasper made his season debut on Sunday for Boston and went 3-for-4 at the plate with two doubles and an RBI, but he'll be a deep DFS sleeper on Tuesday against Wheeler. UPDATE: Contreras hit in the cage and is feeling better. The Red Sox are giving him an extra day, but it sounds like he should be back on Wednesday.

After combining for a .248/.284/.402 slash line, .686 OPS, 31 home runs, 138 RBI, 39 stolen bases, and 154 runs scored in 308 regular-season games over the last two years as a full-time player in Beantown, outfielder/second baseman Ceddanne Rafaela has been a disappointment through 38 games in 2026. Going into Tuesday's action this week, the 25-year-old is slashing .269/.336/.400, but with a career-high .736 OPS, three home runs, 16 RBI, 17 runs, and only two stolen bases across 143 plate appearances. Savvy fantasy managers should consider buying low on the Red Sox outfielder, even though he's currently in the 29th percentile in hard-hit rate and the 15th percentile in walk rate. So far in nine games in May, he's gone 10-for-35 (.286) at the plate with two home runs, six RBI, four runs scored, two stolen bases, two walks, and eight strikeouts. Rafaela is probably never going to be an asset in on-base percentage unless he cleans up his plate approach, but as an everyday player, he should offer enough power and speed to potentially threaten for a 20-20 campaign if he stays healthy.

Boston Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran's numbers through his first 150 plate appearances of 2026 are well below his career norms, as he's hitting .194/.253/.324 with four home runs, 18 RBI, 19 runs scored, and eight stolen bases. However, the 29-year-old is starting to show signs of a breakout. Across 42 plate appearances in May, Duran is hitting .256/.310/.513 with three homers and three stolen bases. Duran's underlying metrics also provide reason for hope as his .237 batting average on balls in play is nearly 100 points worse than his career mark of .333. While Duran's production so far this season has been tough to stomach for fantasy managers, there's every reason to believe he is working his way back to his usual level of production. He profiles as a prime buy-low candidate across all fantasy formats.

Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Payton Tolle will take the mound for Sunday's game against the Tampa Bay Rays. Tolle was supposed to start on Saturday, but the contest was rained out. Brayan Bello was slated to start on Sunday, but he'll have his start pushed back. The Red Sox have a scheduled off day on Monday, so they'll evaluate the starting rotation after that. It's possible that Bello has his next start pushed back further than Tuesday. Fantasy managers who have Tolle rostered should make sure he's in their lineups ahead of first pitch on Sunday.

Boston Red Sox left-hander Ranger Suarez (hamstring) will start "sometime in the Philly series" next week between Tuesday and Thursday, interim manager Chad Tracy told Tim Healey of The Boston Globe. Suarez was pulled from his last start early on Sunday against the Houston Astros with tightness in his right hamstring, and the team will give the veteran lefty a little bit more time to recover before making his next appearance. Lefty Payton Tolle will start on Saturday against the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park, with right-hander Brayan Bello going in the series finale on Sunday. While Suarez might be a bit more risky in his next outing next week after tweaking his hamstring, he'll also be facing a struggling Phillies lineup that currently ranks 27th in baseball with a .682 team OPS. In his first year with the BoSox, the Venezuelan hurler has been solid, going 2-2 with a 2.77 ERA (3.27 FIP) and 0.95 WHIP with 32 strikeouts and 10 walks in 39 frames across his seven starts. Against his former team in a revenge matchup, Suarez should be returned to fantasy lineups.

Boston Red Sox left-hander Garrett Crochet (shoulder), who was placed on the 15-day injured list on April 29 with left-shoulder inflammation, has resumed throwing from 60 feet and is continuing to make progress in his strength program, interim manager Chad Tracy told Mac Cerullo of the Boston Herald. Crochet is eligible to come off the IL on Tuesday, but the Red Sox want to make sure he's fully built back up before activating him. Whether or not Crochet requires a minor-league rehab assignment will depend on how long he's out, according to Tracy. The talented southpaw should return by mid-May, but it won't be by next Tuesday. Despite an inconsistent start to the 2026 season, Crochet should be held in all fantasy leagues. Rookie left-hander Jake Bennett has made his first two big-league starts in Crochet's place so far. The 26-year-old Crochet has gone 3-3 with a 6.30 ERA (4.34 FIP) and 1.47 WHIP with 37 strikeouts and 11 walks across 30 innings over his first six starts with the BoSox this year. He was an All-Star each of the last two seasons and finished second in the American League Cy Young voting in 2025.

Boston Red Sox left-hander Connelly Early has been inconsistent so far this season after getting called up on March 29 to replace Johan Oviedo (elbow), pitching to a 3.79 ERA and 1.32 WHIP with 31 strikeouts in 35 2/3 innings pitched. He entered the 2026 season as a consensus top-65 MLB prospect, and although his surface stats look acceptable, the underlying metrics do not support them (5.33 xERA, 4.72 xFIP, and 4.64 SIERA). In addition to the expected numbers, his strikeout rate (20.5 percent) and walk rate (11.3 percent) are the worst marks of his career, dating back to his five starts with the Red Sox in 2025 and his career Minor League stats. All that being said, the season is still early, and the young left-hander is still only 24 years old and has the upside to turn it around quickly. At this time, Early remains a must-roster player in deeper formats or points leagues, but not necessarily in shallower category formats.

The Boston Red Sox plan to put outfielder Roman Anthony (wrist) on the 10-day injured list before Thursday's series opener against the division-rival Tampa Bay Rays, according to Ian Browne of MLB.com. Mickey Gasper will come up from the minors in a corresponding move. Anthony sprained his right wrist in Monday's game against the Detroit Tigers and will require more time to heal. The Red Sox were hoping the outfield prospect would be able to return this weekend against the Rays, but he's just not ready. In the short term, Masataka Yoshida should continue to benefit from regular playing time in the designated hitter spot for Boston against right-handed pitchers. Yoshida is a great source of average -- he's hitting over .300 in limited action so far this year -- but he won't provide much pop to your lineup. It's been a disappointing start to Anthony's first full season in the majors, but fantasy managers should be stashing him everywhere for his high-end power/speed upside. Since debuting for the BoSox late in 2025, the 21-year-old former second-rounder has hit .273/.383/.421 with an .804 OPS, nine homers, 37 RBI, 60 runs, and six steals in 433 plate appearances.

Boston Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony (wrist) continues to sit out of the starting lineup for Thursday's series opener at Fenway Park against the division-rival Tampa Bay Rays, per MLB.com. It will be Anthony's third straight missed game after spraining his right wrist on a swing during Monday's contest against the Detroit Tigers. The Red Sox are optimistic that Anthony won't have to miss much more time, but if he cannot return to action this weekend against Tampa, he could be placed on the 10-day injured list. Jarren Duran is starting in left field again and will bat leadoff for the BoSox, with Masataka Yoshida serving as the designated hitter and batting fifth against Rays right-hander Griffin Jax. An extended absence for Anthony will continue to benefit the left-handed-hitting Yoshida, who is hitting .310 (18-for-58) on the year, but with zero home runs. Anthony looked like the real deal as a top prospect in baseball during his MLB debut in 2025 before ending the year on the injured list, but he's struggled so far in 2026, slashing .229/.354/.321 with a .675 OPS, only one homer, five RBI, 12 runs, and two steals in 109 at-bats. Fantasy managers need to be patient and hope his wrist injury doesn't lead to an IL stint.

Boston Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony (wrist) remains sidelined for Wednesday's series finale in Detroit against the Tigers, according to MLB.com. Jarren Duran is starting in left field for the BoSox and will hit leadoff against Tigers right-hander Jack Flaherty. Anthony injured his right wrist in Monday's game against the Tigers and returned to Boston the next day to be evaluated. The 21-year-old outfield prospect was diagnosed with a sprained right wrist and is considered day-to-day after undergoing an MRI exam, but he won't be available to return for the series finale in Motown on Wednesday. Although he got encouraging news, don't rule out an injured-list stint for Anthony if he cannot return for the upcoming four-game series in Boston against the division-rival Tampa Bay Rays. Anthony is a high-upside power/speed outfielder, but injuries have slowed him down so far after he debuted with the team in 2025. Through 30 games this year, Anthony has been a disappointment with a .229/.354/.321 slash line, .675 OPS, one homer, five RBI, 12 runs scored, and two stolen bases. Check back on Thursday to see if he can return to the starting nine.

The Boston Red Sox announced that they officially reinstated right-hander Sonny Gray (hamstring) from the 15-day injured list on Wednesday and optioned left-hander Alec Gamboa to Triple-A Worcester in a corresponding move. Gray will return to make the start against the Detroit Tigers in the series finale at Comerica Park. The 36-year-old veteran spent the minimum time on the IL with a right-hamstring strain that landed him on the shelf back on April 21. In a tough matchup, Gray will be more of a risk as a fantasy streamer in his first start back with the BoSox, especially since he didn't go on a minor-league rehab assignment. The Tigers come into Wednesday's action with the seventh-best team OPS (.724) in baseball. Gray enters his sixth start of the 2026 season with a 2-1 record, 4.30 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, and 13:5 K:BB in his 23 innings pitched over five starts.

The Boston Red Sox's scheduled starter for Wednesday's game against the Detroit Tigers is still to be determined, but right-hander Sonny Gray (hamstring) is "still checking some boxes," interim manager Chad Tracy said. Gray is eligible to be reinstated from the 15-day injured list on Wednesday. He threw a three-inning live batting practice session on Friday and came out of it feeling good, but he had another bullpen scheduled for Monday. "See how he comes out of that (bullpen) physically," Tracy said, "and then we'll make our decision on that day when it gets closer." Rookie left-hander Jake Bennett could make another start for the BoSox on Wednesday in the series finale against the Tigers if the Red Sox want to wait a little longer to activate Gray. The 36-year-old veteran will have a rotation spot waiting for him when he's ready, though, and he can still be a useful back-end fantasy starter in the right matchups despite a less-than-stellar strikeout rate at this point in his career. Through his first five starts in 2026, Gray is 2-1 with a 4.30 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, and 13 strikeouts in 23 innings pitched. He's currently rostered in 88% of Yahoo leagues despite being on the IL.

Boston Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony (wrist) was forced from Monday's series opener against the Detroit Tigers early after tweaking his wrist in his first at-bat on a swing, according to Ian Browne of MLB.com. Masataka Yoshida replaced Anthony in left field. The 21-year-old Anthony should be considered day-to-day for now, but fantasy managers will want to check back for an update on his status after Boston's game against Detroit. So far in 2026, Anthony has been a disappointment for fantasy managers, as he entered Monday's contest with the Tigers with a .231/.357/.324 slash line, .681 OPS, only one home run, five RBI, 12 runs scored, and two stolen bases in 29 games across 129 plate appearances. He was one of the top prospects in all of baseball in 2025 before getting called up for his major-league debut. Before an injury ended his season early in September, Anthony was living up to expectations with a .292/.396/.463 slash line, eight home runs, 32 RBI, and four steals in his first 71 big-league games. UPDATE: X-rays on Anthony's right wrist came back negative, but he will fly to Boston on Tuesday to visit with a hand specialist.

Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Ranger Suarez (hamstring) was forced to make an early exit during Sunday's outing against the Houston Astros. Suarez tossed four scoreless innings before exiting the game due to what is being called right-hamstring tightness. The severity of the injury is unknown, but Suarez should undergo further testing, so fantasy managers will need to check back for more information. Losing Suarez would be a tough break for the Red Sox, who already have multiple starting pitchers on the Injured List. His next scheduled outing is against the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday. The team will likely wait and see how he progresses before deciding if Suarez will make that start. UPDATE: Suarez is not expected to undergo an MRI exam, which means his hamstring injury shouldn't be too serious.

Boston Red Sox left-hander Garrett Crochet (shoulder) played catch on Sunday for the first time after a brief no-throw period, according to Tim Healey of The Boston Globe. The early signs continue to be positive for Crochet, but the Red Sox continue to preach caution/patience with the All-Star hurler. The good news for Crochet started when an MRI exam on his left shoulder didn't show anything other than inflammation, although he couldn't avoid a trip to the 15-day injured list. The 26-year-old southpaw probably won't have an extended absence, although fantasy managers also shouldn't expect him to be ready to rejoin Boston's starting rotation when his 15 days are up on May 12. Shoulder issues could be the reason why the two-time All-Star hasn't looked quite like himself early in the 2026 season. Crochet is 3-3 with a 6.30 ERA (4.35 FIP) and 1.47 WHIP with 37 strikeouts and 11 walks in 30 innings over his six starts. Rookie left-hander Jake Bennett got the first shot to replace Crochet in the team's starting rotation, and he delivered with a win and just one earned run allowed with three K's in five innings on Friday against the Astros. Crochet should not be dropped in any leagues while he rebuilds strength in his left shoulder.