Red Sox Pitcher Kutter Crawford Ready for Rehab Outing After Long Injury Layoff

Crawford missed the entire 2025 season with a knee injury and torn tendon sheath in his wrist from a gardening accident.

Apr. 10, 2026 at 9:24pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A fractured, multi-perspective painting depicting a baseball pitcher's motion broken down into sharp, overlapping geometric shapes and planes in vibrant colors of red, blue, and yellow.A cubist interpretation of a pitcher's delivery captures the complex movements and energy of a baseball player's return to the mound after a long injury layoff.Fort Myers Today

After more than 500 days without pitching in a game, Red Sox right-hander Kutter Crawford is finally ready to take the mound for a rehab outing. Crawford missed the entire 2025 season with a knee injury and a torn tendon sheath in his wrist that occurred in a freak gardening accident. He's spent the last year and a half rehabbing in Fort Myers, Florida, where he's had nine spring trainings with the team. Crawford is eager to contribute to the Red Sox in any way he can, whether that's in the rotation or the bullpen, once he shakes off the rust from his long layoff.

Why it matters

Crawford was a promising young starter for the Red Sox in 2024, but injuries derailed his progress. His return to the mound is an important step in the Red Sox's pitching depth as they look to contend in the AL East. The team will be closely monitoring Crawford's rehab outing and subsequent performances to determine how he fits into their plans going forward.

The details

Crawford, who was drafted by the Red Sox in the 16th round in 2017, spent the majority of the last year and a half rehabbing at the team's extended spring training facility in Fort Myers, Florida. After tweaking his knee while covering first base in 2024, he dealt with patellar tendinitis that lingered into 2025. Then, in a freak gardening accident, Crawford tore the tendon sheath in his right wrist while trying to move a garden hose, requiring season-ending surgery. Now fully recovered from both injuries, Crawford's fastball has been sitting at 92-94 mph, and he's eager to get back on the mound and contribute to the Red Sox in any way he can.

  • Crawford missed the entire 2025 season due to his injuries.
  • He is set to make a rehab outing in the coming days, his first game action in over 500 days.

The players

Kutter Crawford

A 26-year-old right-handed pitcher in the Red Sox organization who missed the entire 2025 season due to a knee injury and a torn tendon sheath in his wrist from a gardening accident.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“I don't know that I necessarily deserved [a vacation]. Hopefully I'll have a good year this year and then next offseason …”

— Kutter Crawford, Red Sox Pitcher

“I was literally going to move the damn hose. You take a garden hose — you want more hose and you yank it. I didn't know it was wrapped around a sprinkler head around the corner of the house, so when I went to pull the hose, it pulled against the wall. I wasn't expecting it. It caught my wrist in a bad position and cranked me back the other way. I felt a slight pop. I was like, 'That didn't feel right.'”

— Kutter Crawford, Red Sox Pitcher

“Put me under some lights, there's a little bit of adrenaline going, you should see another tick or two.”

— Kutter Crawford, Red Sox Pitcher

What’s next

Crawford is set to make a rehab outing in the coming days, his first game action in over 500 days. The Red Sox will closely monitor his performance and progress as they determine how he fits into their pitching plans going forward.

The takeaway

Kutter Crawford's long road back from a knee injury and a freak gardening accident that resulted in a torn tendon sheath in his wrist is a testament to his perseverance. His return to the mound is an important boost to the Red Sox's pitching depth as they look to contend in the AL East, and his story serves as a reminder of the challenges athletes can face in their recovery from serious injuries.