Chad Tracy offers updates on several injured Red Sox pitchers

The Boston Red Sox and their 11-game winning streak became the talk of the town, and even the talk of Major League Baseball, on the other end of the All-Star break.

On the field, they are the best team in baseball in July. Off the field, several injured players in the midst of rehab are hoping to join in the fun in the short and long term to contribute to Boston’s playoff push down the stretch.

Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy provided a slew of health updates on his pitchers primarily before Game 1 of their doubleheader against the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday. Here’s what he had to say about the players, from goalkeeper Suarez to Johan Oviedo.

Connelly early and rangers suarez

Tracy said Boston’s two most recent players to land on the injured list, starting pitchers Connelly Early and Ranger Suarez, could return soon (via MassLive Chris Cutillo). Tracy said the couple had made “huge progress” in their recovery.

Suarez, who landed on the 15-day IL with a left groin strain on July 9, could hopefully start on Tuesday, July 21. He has been throwing sporadically since suffering the injury on July 5.

“The goalkeeper is in much better shape,” Tracy told reporters (via Cotillo). “We’ll see how he does over the next couple of days and decide if this is the day or if we need to give him a few more days before we put him back into the swing of things.”

Suarez has exceeded expectations in his first season in Boston. The All-Star left-hander has a 3.15 ERA and 1.16 WHIP across 17 starts (91.1 innings) this season. He is averaging 9.56 strikeouts per nine innings compared to 2.56 per nine, and hitters are batting .230 against him.

As for Early, who has been undergoing treatment for 15 days since July 1 for inflammation in his left elbow, he is fortunately progressing well despite the worrying nature of the disease. He resumed throwing for the first time since his injury on June 30.

Early appears to be on track to return to the mound sooner rather than later, but Tracy has not pinned an expected date like he did with Suarez.

Early, a fellow southpaw, was similarly excellent for Boston in his first full season. The 24-year-old has a 3.44 ERA and 1.25 WHIP over 17 games (91.2 innings). He has a 9.13 K/9 and 3.34 BB/9, and hitters are batting .235 off him.

Cotter Crawford, Tanner Houck, and Johan Oviedo

The names of three players you may not have heard in some time may finally return at some point this season. Starting pitchers Cooter Crawford, Tanner Houck and Johan Oviedo had good news regarding their rehabilitation.

Crawford, who has not played for the Red Sox since September 2024 due to right patellar tendinopathy in 2025, right wrist surgery, and right elbow pain in 2026, throws from as far as 100 feet, per Tracy.

Hawkeye’s recovery provided a significant update for the first time in a while. Tracy said Hawkeye is taking off a mound twice a week while recovering from Tommy John surgery, which he underwent in August of last year. It’s a positive sign for Houck, who was originally expected to miss all of 2026.

Oviedo is close to making a comeback as well. He is expected to pitch in the bullpen session for the first time since suffering a right elbow strain after making the lone start on March 30. The righty allowed four runs (two home runs) on six hits over 3.2 innings against the Houston Astros.

Roman Anthony, Garrett Crochet, etc.

Tracy also said that many of the injured players had no updates on their recovery. Roman Anthony (right wrist sprain), Garrett Crochet (left shoulder inflammation), Isaiah Keener-Faleeva (left forearm inflammation), and Marcelo Mayer (forearm strain reaction) remain shut out and do not have a timetable for a return.

Callie Brown

Sports product

Callie Brown is a sports producer for Boston.com, where she covers the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots and Red Sox.