Boston Red Sox
“We just have to take it one step at a time and see how he feels as he goes along.”
Roman Anthony is getting closer to a return to Boston’s lineup. Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe
August 4, 2026 | 7:56 PM
3 minutes to read
The Red Sox are still playing the waiting game when it comes to a pair of their trade pickups in Adley Rutschman (wrist inflammation) and Curtis Mead (fractured wrist) returning to Boston’s lineup for the stretch run of the 2026 season.
But, if Boston wants to make good on this second-half surge and establish itself as a true contender in a wide-open American League, the health of a pair of franchise fixtures in ace Garrett Crochet and outfielder Roman Anthony also looms large over the franchise.
Both Crochet (left shoulder inflammation, lat strain) and Anthony (wrist sprain, torn ligament in ring finger) have been sidelined for more than three months, robbing Boston of both a star pitcher atop its rotation and one of the top young bats in baseball.
So far, both players’ potential return to the big-league roster has been rife with setbacks. But, on Tuesday, Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy offered up some positive updates about both Crochet and Anthony.
Injury updates from Chad Tracy ❤️🩹
• Roman Anthony continues to swing, he “hit BP today for the first time”
• Garrett Crochet started throwing yesterday (50-60 ft), “very infant stages” of progression
• Kutter Crawford is still a ways off
• Tanner Houck is doing multiple… pic.twitter.com/cOonhfoJPT
— NESN (@NESN) August 4, 2026
On Monday, Crochet threw for the first time in two months. Tracy acknowledging that it was just from 50 to 60 feet.
But, it was a welcome step in the right direction for a southpaw who has struggled to build off of a 2025 campaign where he finished as the runner-up for the AL Cy Young Award (18-5, 2.59 ERA, 255 strikeouts in 205.1 innings).
“He’s been down a while, so we’re in the very infant stages of very short [throws],” Tracy said of Crochet before Boston’s game against the White Sox on Tuesday. “But he did have a ball in his hand and was throwing it, which is good. So he’s probably going to be in that really short range throwing right now and then we’ll move him along as he goes.”
As for Anthony — who is rehabbing his injury down in Florida — Tracy said that the 22-year-old outfielder has progressed from hitting off a tee to actually taking part in batting practice this week.
“Today he actually took overhand BP in the cage, which is another step in the right direction,” Tracy said. “So it’s kind of like you’re in phases with this. Like early on it was tee and flips, which he managed well. Hit BP today for the first time.”
The plan is for Anthony to have an off day to see how he feels before continuing with another BP session on Thursday. Anthony has had several setbacks already this season, with his progression at the plate halted in late May after he felt discomfort in his hand while hitting off a tee.
Progressing to BP is a positive development, although Tracy added that he’s unsure how many total steps Anthony must take before he reaches a point where he can start a rehab assignment and potentially rejoin Boston over the final weeks of the regular season.
“I think you’re still in the phase of introducing new things to him and making sure that you clear those and nothing pops up with the hand,” Tracy acknowledged.
Whereas Anthony is at least putting himself in the mix for a return to Boston’s lineup in September, Crochet is looking at a shorter runway when it comes to building his arm back up and getting the adequate amount of rehab work in before the 2026 season wraps.
However, Tracy said the team has not ruled out Crochet’s potential return this season.
“He’s got a chance, for sure. … You realize it’s a little ways off, but like the fact that he’s throwing … There’s still a lot of hurdles to climb, but the fact that he has the ball in his hand and is trying,” Tracy noted. “If everything goes well, certainly there’s a chance, but we just have to take it one step at a time and see how he feels as he goes along.”
Tracy offered updates on several other injured Red Sox.
Trevor Story is getting closer to a rehab assignment after being sidelined since May while recovering from sports hernia surgery, he said.
“Fielding, throwing, running has increased,” Tracy said of the veteran shortstop. “The lateral mobility aspect of it with more intensity. So he’s continued to track very well.”
Shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa (left forearm inflammation) has started to swing off a tee, but there’s no timeline yet for his return, according to Tracy.
Kutter Crawford (elbow/forearm inflammation) doesn’t appear to be close to a return.
“He has some stuff pop up and he has to back off and then he’ll throw. So he’s still a ways off,” Tracy said of the righty.
Tanner Houck (Tommy John surgery) is getting closer after taking part in several bullpen sessions over the last few weeks, but Tracy added that the righty also needs to take part in a “live BP” first before advancing to a potential rehab assignment.
Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.
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