Red Sox roster battles: Two rehabbing starters take big step, 2B candidate likely to miss time

Story byChris CotilloSat, February 28, 2026 at 2:24 AM UTC·3 min readWhile the Red Sox were playing the Braves in North Port on Friday, two starters on the road back from injury took big steps forward at Fenway South. Rotation candidates Kutter Crawford and Patrick Sandoval each threw live batting practice sessions at JetBlue Park on Friday, manager Alex Cora told reporters. It marked the first time Crawford, who missed all of last season with knee and wrist issues, had faced hitters since the summer. Sandoval threw his first live session on February 13 and has now faced hitters three times after missing last year with setbacks in his recovery from elbow surgery. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementCora said the club was pleased with both outings.“Crawford was amazing.