Boston Red Sox

Johan Oviedo

SP

The Red Sox are going with Connelly Early as their fifth starter, with Oviedo occupying a piggyback/long relief role. Early is expected to receive at least a couple turns in the rotation before the club reassesses its options. Oviedo came into spring training as the favorite to round out Boston's rotation, but his Grapefruit League showing ended on a sour note Monday versus the Twins when he showed diminished velocity and yielded six runs over 3.1 frames.

Garrett Whitlock

RP

Whitlock appeared in four games this spring for Boston, allowing zero earned runs in four innings pitched. The right-hander also recorded four appearances for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic, allowing just one earned run in 3.1 innings. The 29-year-old posted a career-best 31 percent strikeout rate while putting up a 2.25 ERA for Boston in 2025. Whitlock once again will serve as a high-leverage arm for a Boston bullpen that still features Aroldis Chapman and Greg Weissert but a mix of unproven arms after that.

Kutter Crawford

SP

Per Christopher Smith of MassLive.com, Crawford threw four innings in a simulated game Monday at the Red Sox's spring training facility, but the right-hander looks like he'll continue to build up in Florida a little while longer before joining an affiliate. Meanwhile, fellow rehabbing pitcher Patrick Sandoval (elbow) is set to begin a rehab assignment Tuesday at Double-A Portland, and he would appear to be on track to beat Crawford back from the 15-day injured list. The Red Sox don't have room in the big-league rotation for either pitcher at the moment, so Crawford -- who has two minor-league options remaining -- could be assigned to Triple-A Worcester once he completes his rehab assignment and gets activated from the IL.

Triston Casas

1B

Casas missed time during the 2024 season due to torn cartilage in his left rib cage, though this setback appears unrelated. He hasn't undergone an MRI and will be re-evaluated in a few days. The first baseman is on the 10-day injured list as he continues his recovery from patellar tendon surgery and faces an uncertain timetable. If the intercostal issue is deemed serious enough of a setback, Casas will be a candidate to shift to the 60-day IL.

Patrick Sandoval

SP

Sandoval was held out of the entirety of the spring training schedule as he continues to work his way back from June 2024 internal brace surgery. There's currently no need for Sandoval in the Boston rotation and the lefty cannot be option to the minors, so the Red Sox could slow-play Sandoval on his rehab assignment until they decide how to deploy him.