Ahead of his team’s game on Saturday night against the Dodgers (61-43), Red Sox manager Alex Cora was asked if he’s concerned with his starting pitching depth as it's currently constituted.
“Um, yeah - yeah,” said Cora. “Obviously we’re one pitch away from somebody getting hurt. That’s the nature of the business. So obviously the more we have, the better. And compared to where we were in spring training, we’re a lot shorter than that group.”
Boston (55-50) has been ravished by injuries in its starting rotation. From players who were thought to be key contributors during spring training to surprises who ended up being big factors early, it’s been tough sledding for a staff who hasn’t been able to find true sustained consistency in 2025:
- After an atrocious start to the season, Tanner Houck (0-3, 8.04) was moved to the injured list in May with a strain in his right flexor pronator. And after re-aggravating the injury during a rehab start, he was shut down indefinitely from throwing. Since that indefinite distinction, mum has been the word. Cora said Saturday there was nothing new to report, and that they’re still “getting opinions.”
- A revelation for Boston’s staff this year was rookie Hunter Dobbins (4-1, 4.13 ERA), who did not enter the year as someone fans or media expected to have an impact on the big league roster in 2025. But in the blink of an eye, one of the bright spots of the season vanished, as the 25-year-old suffered a fluke torn ACL in a game against the Rays earlier this month. The future might be bright for Dobbins, but his present will be filled with rehabbing after undergoing surgery. Another reliable arm gone for Cora.
- Kutter Crawford was among baseball’s most durable arms in 2024, even after suffering patellar tendon discomfort following his third game of the year. While the plan was to recover for 2025 with a full winter of rest and rehab, he ended up suffering a setback during the offseason and was unable to pitch in spring training, leading to being placed on the 60-day injured list in March. Then in late June, Cora told the media that the 29-year-old would be out the remainder of the season after an off-field "accident" required season-ending surgery on his right throwing wrist. According to Cora, the accident was not a case of Crawford being irresponsible, yet no further reporting has come down on what led to this injury.
- Ahead of this season, the Red Sox signed lefty Patrick Sandoval to a two-year deal worth $18.25 million. They did so knowing that he had just suffered a torn UCL as well as a high-grade flexor tear in his pitching elbow, which required internal brace surgery. And while the likelihood of Sandoval joining this staff in 2025 was already slim, Cora told the media pregame on Friday that it’s unlikely the 28-year-old will pitch this year.
So what now?
Some fans are taking Cora’s comments from Saturday as a subliminal message of wanting the front office to add starting pitching at the deadline. And if we’re being honest, I don’t even think it’s subliminal.
It’s clear that Cora thinks this team needs help in that department.
“I think that 30 teams will say yes,” Cora said when asked if he’d like for the front office to find them reinforcements at the deadline. “You ask every player, every front office, every manager, they'll say yes. But like I said, we have to be present. That's the most important thing. Sometimes we get ahead of ourselves, and that's when you don't play well, and we're not going to get ahead of ourselves.”
Cora wants another arm, and I don’t blame him.
We’ll see if chief baseball officer Craig Breslow can pull that off ahead of the deadline on July 31.
Cora’s most stable arm will be hitting the mound on Saturday night, as Garrett Crochet (11-4, 2.19 ERA) starts for Boston. Los Angeles sends out a stud of their own, as 37-year-old Dodgers legend Clayton Kershaw (4-1. 3.27 ERA) takes the bump.
Talk about a stacked marquee.
This should be fun.
First pitch is set for 7:15 p.m. ET.
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