The Boston Red Sox need a starter for Sunday’s series finale with the Seattle Mariners. Cue Kutter Crawford’s music?
The Red Sox seem to have hit a groove over the last month or so, having not lost a series since May 8. Unfortunately, the injury bug seems to be catching up with them, with the most recent man to go down being starter Garrett Whitlock.
Whitlock — who was slated to start Sunday — is now in the 15-day injured list, leaving the Red Sox looking for a potential replacement. According to multiple reports, they may have found him.
“Kutter Crawford scratched for Worcester today,” Ian Brown of MLB.com tweeted Saturday. “He is currently in the clubhouse in Seattle. A candidate to start Sunday for sure in place of Whitlock.”
While his presence in the clubhouse is far from a guarantee that Crawford will start on Sunday, it’s easy to put two and two together.
Crawford has made eight appearances for the Red Sox in 2022, all coming out of the bullpen. He has an 8.44 earned run average in 10.2 innings pitched with the big club. His kryptonite coming in the form of the walk, handing out eight free passes in his limited experience. The 26-year old hasn’t fared much better in Triple-A Worcester, posting a 7.43 ERA in four appearances with the Woo Sox.
If Crawford does get the nod Sunday, it will be his first with the big club in 2022.
Before they get to Sunday, the Red Sox and Mariners will play the second game of their three-game set Saturday night at T-Mobile Park. First pitch is scheduled for 10:10 p.m. ET, followed by an hour of pregame coverage, and you can catch it all on NESN.
