Just as Boston Red Sox fans feared their pitching struggles had reached rock bottom, the team’s last remaining hope for reinforcement has been dashed. The Red Sox are currently ranked second last in the AL East, and considering how their rotation looks, fans need to brace themselves for the worst. Entering the 2026 season, the Red Sox’s starting rotation, headed by Garrett Crochet, was touted to be their main highlight. After 20 games, Crochet stands at a 7.58 ERA, followed by Sonny Gray with a 4.43 ERA.

Boston is in desperate need of reinforcements, yet the latest reports indicate that a key player expected to bolster the roster has suffered yet another injury setback.

“After his last rehab start, Patrick Sandoval felt biceps tightness. He is back in Boston to be looked at,” MLB insider Chris Cotillo shared via X.

Sandoval’s stint with the Red Sox was a stormy one. After joining in December 2024 for a two-year $18.25 million deal, Sandoval spent the entire season on the 60-Day Injured List. He did not make any appearances for Boston as he focused on his left UCL surgery recovery. It was only in early 2026 that he was about to complete his rehab and rejoin the team by April.

However, his rehab with Worcester neither offered the desired dominance, and he has yet to make it onto the MLB roster. In his second rehab start for Worcester, Sandoval struggled with command, allowing five runs over two innings on 59 pitches. And this comes just at a time when the Red Sox’s pitching lineup is battered with injuries.

“The Red Sox starting rotation depth is evaporating in a heartbeat between Sandoval, Oviedo, Crawford, and Uberstine, all dealing with different injuries,” MLB insider Tyler Milliken said.

Oviedo has hit the 60-day Injured List due to a flexor strain. Crawford’s MLB debut in 2026 depends on his MRI result, and it will be clear by Sunday.

“Kutter Crawford said postgame he’s waiting for his doctor to review the results of the MRI on his elbow/forearm and discuss them with him Sunday, so there should be more there tomorrow,” Cotillo said.

And the worst part is, apart from this injured list, the existing rotation struggles to make things work. For reference, in the first 18 games, Connelly Early was the only Red Sox pitcher with an ERA below 4.43. Crochet had a 7.58 ERA, Gray had a 4.43 ERA, and Bryan Bello had a 6.14 ERA. So, the combination of a struggling rotation and a battered depth chart has made fans lose hope in the team.

Fans panic with the Red Sox’s pitching struggle

What is the Red Sox medical staff doing amid this long injury list? Fans are left wondering what the Red Sox medical staff is doing amid this long injury list. “This franchise medical staff blows. How do ALL FOUR of their guys get hurt again? Sandoval, Gonzalez, Casas, and Crawford all had setbacks,” one fan said.

It’s not normal that more than half of the rotation depth gets sidelined by injuries. But for the Red Sox, this is a familiar scene. The Boston Red Sox season was heavily defined by a high volume of injuries, with the team ranking 7th in MLB with 1,535+ days lost to the injured list. About 13 names from their pitching staff got sidelined with injuries in 2022.

So, while pitchers’ injuries are common in MLB, it’s frequent in Boston. And this year, the surprising part is that every name in the rehab is getting a setback just at the last moment. Sandoval was about to get back to the active roster before he felt uncomfortable. “What on earth is going on with the Sox training staff? Every single player on their IL has had a setback,” another fan wonders.

“They really paid Sandoval like 20mil just to rehab, thats nasty work,” another user remarked. Sandoval joined Boston in December 2024 in the middle of his recovery from Tommy John surgery. So he started his Red Sox journey from rehab, and he has yet to make his debut with Boston. So, fans wonder if the team just paid that much amount to keep Sandoval in rehab. “19 mil on a guy who will never pitch an inning for us, imagine if we could’ve put that to Bregman or Alonso,” another added.

The Red Sox didn’t sign Bregman because they went up to $165 million, while the Chicago Cubs secured him for $175 million. Add Sandoval’s money, and Bregman could be playing in Boston now. Similarly, they missed out on Pete Alonso because the Red Sox’s offer fell short of the $155 million offered by the Baltimore Orioles.

So, fans wonder what if the money invested in the injured player could have been redirected to Bregman and Alonso. “So glad we poured so much money into this guy instead of a hitter,” a sarcastic dig by another fan. Hopefully, the team can call up a few players from their farm system, just as they did last year with Roman Anthony.