Kutter

Crawford

Crawford, 28, is currently dealing with tendinitis in his knee. The right-hander has been able to throw bullpens, but there likely isn’t enough time in the spring sessions to get him ready for the real thing. The good news is Brayan Bello and Lucas Giolito do appear likely to be ready, so it’s not as big of a hit for the Boston rotation.

Crawford, 28, is battling soreness in his knee while dealing with tendinitis. The right-hander also recently suffered a setback, but it is good news he was able to throw off a mound relatively early in the spring setting. If Crawford is healthy he has the stuff/command to be fantasy relevant, but a trip to the injured list to begin 2025 is obviously possible.

Crawford said his condition improved over the winter but that he recently had a setback. He intends to pitch through the problem again, but surgery could be a possibility if things worsen. He didn’t seem like a mixed-league guy anyway, but his AL-only stock has definitely taken a hit.

It seems it’s something that’s been bothering him for months. He’ll pitch through it and hope it doesn’t worsen. With the Red Sox probably using a six-man rotation, Cooper Criswell would likely be next in line to join the group. Any real setback for a starter might cause them to take a hard look at someone like Lance Lynn or Kyle Gibson in free agency.

Crawford was projected my MLBTradeRumors.com to earn $3.5 million via arbitration, so at a glance it looks like the team may have secured a nice discount here. Crawford was wildly inconsistent during the 2024 season, but looked completely unhittable at times while compiling a 4.36 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and a 175/51 K/BB ratio over 183 2/3 innings in his 33 starts. He’ll once again be a key cog in a refurbished Red Sox’ rotation in 2025.

Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow told reporters on Monday that he’s “very, very open” to the possibility of utilizing a six-man rotation next season. Most teams have gone that route in recent years, so it’s not a huge surprise, especially since Boston brought in Garrett Crochet and Walker Buehler to spearhead a rotation mix that also figures to include Giolito, Tanner Houck, Brayan Bello and Kutter Crawford. The 30-year-old righty is expected to be ready in the early stages of next season as he continues his rehabilitation process from an internal brace procedure that he underwent back in March.

Crawford gave up five hits, walked four and struck out six. He allowed a two-run home run to Junior Caminero in the third inning and four runs on singles in the fifth inning before he was removed. Crawford finishes the year 9-16 with a 4.36 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and 175 strikeouts in 183 2/3 innings. The strikeout total is nice, but his 4.35 xFIP suggests he wasn’t unlucky to have that ERA. If anything, his .247 BABIP suggests he was fortunate to have a 1.12 WHIP given his career BABIP is .271.

Crawford struck out seven and walked none in shedding his six-start losing streak. The Red Sox are just 10-22 with him on the mound this season, even though he’s been an above average starter for a pretty average team. He’ll pitch against the Rays in his final start.

It’ll be a split doubleheader, with the first game starting at 12:35 p.m. EDT and the second starting at 5:35 p.m. EDT. The Red Sox will have Nick Pivetta go in Game 1, followed by Saturday’s scheduled starter Kutter Crawford. The Twins will stay in order with Pablo López in Game 1 and Zebby Matthews in Game 2.

Most of the damage came in the third, when Juan Soto singled in between homers from Gleyber Torres and Aaron Judge. The Soto hit and both pitches in the Judge at-bat couldn’t have been more middle-middle, and Crawford definitely got what he deserved. This makes six straight losses fur Crawford, though this is the first time in the sequence that he’s allowed more than three runs. He’s now 8-15 with a 4.19 ERA on the season. He’s the first Red Sox pitcher to lose 15 games since Rick Porcello lost 17 in 2017 and the second since Porcello lost 15 in 2015. The only other Red Sox pitcher to lose 15 games this millennium was Frank Castillo in 2002. Crawford is due to face the Twins next weekend.