The Boston Red Sox’s starting rotation is going to look a lot different than last season.
Boston’s pitching staff boasted a 3.70 ERA last season, ranking in the top five in baseball, but somehow managed to become even more lethal this offseason after adding Ranger Suárez, Sonny Gray and Johan Oviedo. The Red Sox’s starting rotation will feature Garrett Crochet, Suárez, Gray and Brayan Bello, with a spot still open to be claimed.
Though multiple other pitchers have a chance to earn the starting spot, MassLive’s Chris Cotillo reported that Oviedo has the “inside track” to round out Boston’s rotation.
“Since the beginning of camp, the Red Sox have made it clear they have a ‘job to win’ in the rotation behind Garrett Crochet, Ranger Suárez, Sonny Gray and Brayan Bello,” Cotillo wrote Monday. “Five different pitchers are, at least nominally, in the mix. Offseason trade acquisition Johan Oviedo has the inside track to winning the job — and helped his case with a strong outing Monday — but returnees Kutter Crawford and Patrick Sandoval and rookies Connelly Early and Payton Tolle have all been told they have a chance.
“Because Crawford and Sandoval are both behind (neither has pitched in game action yet) and seem unlikely to be ready for the Opening Day rotation, it seems at this point to be a race between Oviedo, Early and Tolle. If Oviedo wins the job as expected, the Red Sox intend to option Early and Tolle to Triple-A Worcester — not put them in the major league bullpen — to start the season.”
Oviedo returned last season after missing the entire 2024 season and performed well, posting a 3.57 ERA in nine starts. The Red Sox acquired the veteran pitcher in a trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates this offseason, and despite an abundance of solid starting pitchers, the 28-year-old seems primed to crack the starting rotation.
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