BOSTON — The Red Sox have not yet decided who will fill injured Chris Sale’s spot in the starting rotation.
Boston placed Sale on the 15-day injured list with left shoulder inflammation Friday. His exact diagnosis still is to be determined as more tests need to be done.
Manager Alex Cora brought up one obvious candidate before Boston’s game against the Rays on Sunday.
“There’s a chance Kutter (Crawford) might start the next one,” Cora said. “He went three innings (Saturday). He can go four, maybe five. But we have to give him enough rest in between. That’s the most important thing.”
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The Sox will need starters for Wednesday and Thursday in Cleveland. Thursday would be regular rest for Garrett Whitlock but the Red Sox might want to give him the extra day after he recently was activated from the IL. Crawford would be on regular rest Thursday.
So the Red Sox could use a spot starter Wednesday, then go with Crawford on Thursday and Whitlock on Friday vs. New York.
Tanner Houck will start (today) Sunday and Brayan Bello is starting Monday vs. the Rays. James Paxton will go Tuesday when the Red Sox open their three-game series in Cleveland.
Nick Pivetta and Corey Kluber are potential 26-man roster candidates other than Crawford who could take Sale’s spot.
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“It might be in-house, it might be in the organization. You never know,” Cora said Saturday.
Matt Dermody, Jake Faria, Brandon Walter and Chris Murphy are potential candidates on Triple-A Worcester’s roster who could fill the open spot Wednesday.
Walter and Murphy already are on the 40-man roster.
Walter is listed in the WooSox’s game notes as the probable starter for Tuesday. Murphy is listed as Worcester’s probable starter for Wednesday and Faria is listed for Thursday.