Fort Report: Pitching injuries raise questions about Red Sox rotation

Spring training is in full swing and several of the top prospects in the Red Sox minor league system have received regular playing time in the first week and a half of major league games. With Opening Day just over three weeks away, there are several questions about which players will break camp and head to Texas with the big league club. 

Rotation depth tested by early injuries

During the offseason, Boston's collection of six established major league starting pitchers generated speculation that the Red Sox might consider a six-man rotation during the 2025 season. However, Boston's rotation depth has been put to the test early in spring training, as Brayan Bello, Kutter Crawford, and Lucas Giolito have been slowed by injuries and are yet to make their first appearances of the spring. At the moment, it appears that Crawford is least likely to be a part of the Opening Day roster. Crawford has been battling soreness in his right patellar tendon, stemming from an injury that he pitched through for most of the 2024 season, and has struggled to put weight on his right knee thus far in spring training. 

Bello and Giolito have been behind schedule in camp but both pitchers are aiming to be ready for Opening Day. Bello has been dealing with right shoulder soreness and Giolito is recovering from internal brace surgery in his right elbow, which caused him to miss the entire 2024 season. Per Christopher Smith of MassLive, Bello threw his first bullpen of the spring on Friday and is expected to throw "a couple more bullpens, maybe a live [batting practice] before going into games." Giolito reached a milestone in his recovery by throwing live batting practice last Tuesday and is expected to make his spring debut next Tuesday against the Phillies. 

If Bello and/or Giolito are not ready for Opening Day, the leading candidates to jump into the rotation are Quinn Priester, Richard Fitts (pictured), and Cooper Criswell. Priester has started two games for the Red Sox this spring, allowing one run on four hits and three walks in four innings pitched. Fitts, the ninth-ranked prospect in the Red Sox system, has been turning heads with an improved arsenal early in spring training. Fitts' fastball reached 99 mph in a relief appearance against the Phillies on Friday and he has been experimenting with a tighter slider and a sweeper, per Alex Speier of the Boston Globe. Fitts has struck out five batters in four scoreless innings this spring. Criswell has appeared in one spring training game, striking out two in two shutout innings. 

Boston's Big Three continue to make headlines 

Roman Anthony, Kristian Campbell, and Marcelo Mayer have received regular action in spring training games and have continued to gain attention on both the local and national level. Jeff Passan of ESPN published an article detailing the training approaches that have helped the Big Three ascend to one of the most impressive trios of minor league players in the game. Alex Speier of the Boston Globe describes how Campbell's coachability and work ethic have helped the fourth-rounder to outperform his draft pedigree and develop into one of the best prospects in baseball. 

Over the last week, Mayer put together the standout performance among the Big Three. Mayer went 3 for 3 last Thursday against the Tigers, drilling a triple and a home run against a pair of established major leaguers in Jack Flaherty and Kenta Maeda, respectively. Mayer is hitting .294/.368/.588 in 19 plate appearances this spring. Anthony has made a similarly strong impression, slashing .308/.500/.385 with one double in 17 plate appearances. Campbell has gotten off to a slower start, going hitless in his first 12 at bats before collecting his first hit of the spring against the Orioles on Monday. 

Dobbins hunts MLB opportunity 

Hunter Dobbins, the eighth-ranked prospect overall and the second-ranked pitcher in the Red Sox system, made two starts in big league camp over the last week. Dobbins threw two innings against the Rays last Wednesday and allowed a solo home run but retired every other hitter he faced and struck out three. Dobbins also started against the Orioles on Monday, allowing two runs (one earned) on two hits and a walk in two innings. The Red Sox added Dobbins to the 40-man roster this offseason after he posted a 3.08 ERA with 120 strikeouts in 125 2/3 innings between Portland and Worcester last season. He will serve as valuable starting pitching depth for the big league team alongside Priester, Fitts, and Criswell this season. 

Garcia resumes baseball activities 

Catcher Johanfran Garcia, who missed most of the 2024 season after tearing his ACL and undergoing knee surgery, has resumed all baseball activities per Christopher Smith. Garcia was off to an excellent start to the 2024 season before his injury, hitting .385/.467/.596 with two home runs in 14 games in Low A Salem. Now fully healthy, Garcia will look to regain his momentum and is expected to return to Salem to start the 2025 season. Garcia's strongest tool is his plus raw power and he is ranked as the 15th prospect in the system. 

Transactions

• The Red Sox reportedly signed right-handed reliever Nick Burdi to a minor league contract. Per Chris Cotillo of MassLive, this contract does not include an invite to major league spring training. Burdi, a second-round pick in 2014, brings an electric fastball that averaged 97.5 mph in 9 2/3 innings with the Yankees last season. However, he has walked 6.8 batters per 9 innings in his major league career. 
• The Red Sox signed two international free agents to minor league contracts, right-handed pitchers Angelo Ladera and Francisco Machado.
• Boston also released five right-handed pitchers, including Juan Encarnacion, Denis Reguilo, Cristofer Soriano, Deybi Salcedo, and Stijn Van Der Schaaf. Of these five pitchers, Encarnacion reached the highest level in the Red Sox system, posting a 9.10 ERA in 30 2/3 innings in Portland last season. 

Where are they now? 

• In a simulated game that featured Dodgers phenom Roki Sasaki pitching against a group of White Sox prospects, it was catcher Kyle Teel who stole the show, crushing a home run on the second pitch he faced. Teel, who ranks as the 52nd prospect in baseball according to Baseball America, was one of the headliners of the package that the Red Sox sent to Chicago in exchange for Garrett Crochet this offseason. 
• Jamie Westbrook, who made his major league debut with the Red Sox in 2024 after 11 seasons in the minor leagues, signed a minor league contract with the Rays. Westbrook slashed .150/.234/.350 in 21 games for the Red Sox last season. 
• Another longtime minor leaguer who debuted with the Red Sox in 2024, Mickey Gasper put together a strong performance against the Red Sox on Saturday. Gasper went 2 for 4, opening the game with a single and scoring the first run of the game for the Twins. Gasper was traded to Minnesota in exchange for left-handed reliever Jovani Moran this offseason. 

Minor leaguers in major league games

In the Fort Report, we track players who are not in major league camp that appeared in major league spring training games. The numbers in parentheses list the player's current SoxProspects ranking.

Pitchers: Jose Adames, Zach Bryant, Grant Gambrell (47), Hobie Harris, Gabriel Jackson (49), Isaac Stebens, Christopher Troye

Position players: Marvin Alcantara (51), Juan Chacon, Max Ferguson, Blaze Jordan (27), Abrahm Liendo, Andy Lugo, Tyler McDonough, Tyler Miller, Justin Riemer (31), Mikey Romero (13), Caden Rose, Corey Rosier, Phillip Sikes, Will Turner (57)

Photo Credit: Richard Fitts by Kelly O'Connor

Tweet