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Red Sox will start year with 5-6 players on injured list; when will Triston Casas, others be back?
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- Red Sox will start year with 5-6 players on injured list; when will Triston Casas, others be back?
FORT MYERS, Fla. — For much of spring training, the Red Sox have stayed tremendously healthy. In general, the club has avoided any sort of injury scare involving key players, leaving the roster in pretty good shape as Opening Day approaches.
There are still a handful of players who will begin the year on the injured list, though, with starter Tanner Houck (recovering from Tommy John surgery) and utility man Romy Gonzalez (recovering from shoulder surgery) on the 60-day IL.
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The Sox will likely place three or four other players on the IL this week. Here are updates on some other injured players as camp finishes up:
Crawford, Sandoval building up slowly
It's clear now that the Red Sox were intent on slow-playing rehabbing starters Kutter Crawford and Patrick Sandoval , who both missed all of 2025 due to injuries and setbacks. Both pitchers will begin the year on the IL not because they've re-injured themselves, but because their build-ups have been very deliberate this spring.
Both Crawford (28 pitches) and Sandoval (34 pitches) threw in minor league games on the back fields at Fenway South on Wednesday and the plan is for them to each throw three innings in a minor league game Tuesday. That means neither pitcher will get in a big league spring training game by the time camp ends this week.
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After Tuesday's outing, the Red Sox could choose to have Crawford and Sandoval remain in Fort Myers to stay on a regular schedule into extended spring training or join an affiliate to build up as part of a rehab assignment. They are likely a week or two away from pitching in affiliated games as a major step toward re-joining the big league team.
Sandoval has had a healthy camp after a setback with his throwing arm interrupted his recovery from elbow (internal brace) surgery last year . Crawford, who missed 2025 due to separate knee and wrist issues, had a bad case of the flu in February and therefore was delayed. Both will factor into the rotation mix as depth options when they're ready.
Casas nearing game action
First baseman Triston Casas also won't appear in a big league spring game before camp ends but is "working toward game action," according to a source. Casas, who is about 11 months into his rehab from a ruptured patellar tendon in his knee, is now at the point where he is running the bases and doing sliding drills. That represents an important final hurdle for Casas, who has been hitting and fielding all spring and homered in a back field game Saturday.
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Casas, like the pitchers, could either make his game debut in Fort Myers or play with an affiliate. He's likely to need multiple weeks of game action in the minors before being considered for the major league mix. Players can rehab for 30 days but the Red Sox can give Casas additional time by optioning him to Triple-A, too.
Seigler 'banged up'
Versatile newcomer Anthony Seigler , who was acquired along with Caleb Durbin and Andruw Monasterio in a six-player trade with Milwaukee as camp opened , has not played in a game yet due to lingering knee issues. He is doing baseball activities but has not progressed to the point where he's game ready.
"He's been banged up," said manager Alex Cora. "He hasn't played. We'll take it day by day."
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Seigler could start the year on the IL, or if ready, active at Worcester.
Two non-roster invitees out of the mix
The Red Sox have 41 players remaining in camp with 26 spots available on the Opening Day roster. Gonzalez, Houck, Crawford, Sandoval, Casas and Seigler are all out of the mix because they'll begin the year on the IL along with non-roster invitee Brendan Rodgers, who is still technically on the spring training roster but is out for months after undergoing shoulder surgery. There are 34 healthy players left in camp, so eight cuts left to be made.
Rodgers underwent right shoulder labral revision surgery, performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache, earlier this month . He's back in camp in a shoulder brace.
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Another non-roster invitee, veteran pitcher Vinny Nittoli , also underwent surgery, undergoing a right elbow UCL revision surgery with internal brace, performed by Dr. Jeffrey Dugas. He has been reassigned to minor league camp.
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