What's the plan for Kutter Crawford? Minor league depth? Bullpen arm? Trade bait?
Heading in 2026, I think all Boston Red Sox fans have major questions and curiosities. Will Roman Anthony be one of the best players in the league in just his first full season? Will Garrett Crochet follow up his dominant 2025 season with another great year? How will Kristian Campbell get used, and will the additions of Sonny Gray, Johan Oviedo and Willson Contreras pay dividends? Can Trevor Story stay healthy again? Will Triston Casas get healthy after a gruesome leg injury in 2025.
And while all of those are good questions, there is one under the radar question I'm wondering about: What is the plan for Kutter Crawford and how does he fit into everything?
About Crawford
Crawford, who will turn 30 on April 1, missed all of 2025 with various injuries so he enters the season without clarity as to his standing in the organization. A four-year veteran of the Sox, he's gone 18-31 lifetime with a 4.36 ERA, but he's been more valuable than his numbers would indicate.
He made 23 starts in 2023 and led the majors in starts (33) in 2024. He also tossed 183.2 innings for the 2024 Red Sox, showing the ability to go deep into games and churn innings for a rotation.
The current situation facing him
The Red Sox currently have Crochet, Gray, Brayan Bello, Ranger Suarez and Oviedo ticketed for the starting rotation, and top prospects Payton Tolle and Connelly Early are in the mix as well. Patrick Sandoval, signed before the 2024 season, also can serve as a starting pitcher if necessary.
So what are the options for Crawford?
1) The Red Sox can hold him and stash him in the minor leagues as depth. Crawford has two options available, so there's no pressure on them to keep on the big league roster. It might seem unfair to keep a 30-year-old with significant experience down at Triple-A, but building depth is important, and the Red Sox are well within their right to do so.
2) Boston can put him in the bullpen and use him as a multi-inning reliever and a long relief piece in an effort to take the burden off key leverage arms, especially early in the season.
3) The Red Sox can also trade him to another team that is in need of rotation help. It's unclear what kind of return they could get, but a good spring could raise the price a bit.
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