The Boston Red Sox ensured they'll have a fan favorite right-handed pitcher back on the mound in 2026.
They reached a one-year contract agreement with Kutter Crawford on Tuesday, the team announced. It avoids arbitration negotiations.
Crawford missed the entire 2025 season with injury.
He began the season on the 15-day Injured List with right patellar tendinopathy.
In July, he had surgery on the extensor carpi ulnaris in his right wrist.
After those two injuries, Crawford didn't get to throw a pitch in a game at all in 2025.
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He was originally a 16th-round pick in the 2017 MLB Draft.
Crawford has thrown 392.1 innings in his MLB career so far, all with Boston. Heh as 389 strikeouts and a 4.56 ERA.
The Red Sox have started Crawford in 69 of his 86 MLB appearances.
With Boston continuing to add pitching this offseason, it's not clear whether Crawford will get a chance to make the Opening Day starting rotation, or whether his first pitching action of the season ahead will come out of the bullpen.
But the good news is that Crawford is preparing to pitch this season after not pitching at all a year ago.
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