Red Sox Pitching Depth Tested With Sandoval Setback

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The Boston Red Sox have been hit with another pitching injury, as veteran right-hander Patrick Sandoval has been forced to pause his rehab assignment at Triple-A Worcester due to tightness in his biceps. This comes after fellow rehabbing pitcher Kutter Crawford was also recently sidelined with elbow soreness, further depleting Boston's pitching depth as the 2026 season continues.

Why it matters

The Red Sox were counting on Sandoval and Crawford to provide veteran pitching depth this season, but their injuries have left the team thin on the mound. With Johan Oviedo already on the Injured List, Boston is now just one injury away from having to rely on unproven minor leaguers to fill out their rotation and bullpen.

The details

After his most recent rehab start for Triple-A Worcester, Sandoval reported feeling tightness in his biceps. He has returned to Boston to be evaluated, pausing his recovery from an undisclosed injury that has kept him sidelined since the start of the season. This comes just days after the team announced that Crawford's rehab assignment had also been halted due to elbow soreness. The Red Sox are now waiting on test results and a timeline for the returns of both veteran pitchers.

• On April 15, the Red Sox announced that Kutter Crawford's rehab assignment had been paused due to elbow soreness.
• On April 16, Patrick Sandoval reported biceps tightness following his latest rehab outing for Triple-A Worcester.

What’s next

The Red Sox are waiting on the results of medical tests to determine the severity of Sandoval's biceps tightness and a timeline for his return. The team will also be monitoring Crawford's elbow injury and Oviedo's status as they look to shore up their pitching depth ahead of a potential doubleheader on Monday.