The Boston Red Sox secured a hard-fought 3-2 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday night, but the evening delivered a tale of two very different updates from the pitching staff—one filled with long-awaited optimism and the other clouded by fresh concern.
On the mound, Garrett Crochet turned in a strong outing, going 6 1/3 innings while striking out seven and allowing just two earned runs. He went toe-to-toe with Milwaukee’s electric young flamethrower Jacob Misiorowski, who struck out 10 in 5 1/3 innings but also issued four walks and surrendered three earned runs. Crochet emerged on top in the duel, giving Boston exactly the kind of quality start it needed against one of the game’s brightest young arms.
Yet the post-game glow was quickly dimmed by injury news in the bullpen.
Manager Alex Cora addressed questions about right-hander Justin Slaten, who had not appeared in several days. Cora confirmed that Slaten is dealing with soreness on his right side, specifically noting discomfort in the oblique region—though he stopped short of officially labeling it an oblique injury.
“He has a sore oblique on the right side,” Cora said. “I don’t want to call it oblique, it’s on the right side. We’ll see how he feels tomorrow and then we’ll go from there.”
The development is particularly troubling because Slaten had been one of Boston’s most reliable and dominant relievers early in the season. The right-hander had not allowed an earned run across his first four appearances, looking every bit like a high-leverage weapon the team could count on. With the Red Sox bullpen already sitting 16th in the majors with a 3.95 ERA, any extended absence for Slaten would further strain an already taxed relief corps and force deeper digging into the middle and lower tiers of the pen.
The concern around Slaten feels especially heavy because he has established himself as a trusted “heavy hitter” in high-leverage situations—exactly the type of arm teams lean on when games are on the line. If the soreness lingers or develops into a longer-term issue, it could represent a significant blow to Boston’s bullpen depth and late-inning stability.
On a much brighter note, the Red Sox received encouraging news regarding a true fan favorite: Kutter Crawford.
According to MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo, Crawford is scheduled to throw a bullpen session on Wednesday. If that goes smoothly, he is expected to make a rehab start with Triple-A Worcester this weekend.
“Kutter Crawford will throw a bullpen [Wednesday] and if all goes well, he’ll make a rehab start at Worcester this weekend,” Cotillo reported.
Crawford has been sidelined for an extended period, missing the entire 2025 season and dealing with additional setbacks during spring training. His potential return represents a significant boost for a rotation and pitching staff that has been without his steady presence for far too long. While his exact role upon activation—whether in the rotation or possibly bridging to the bullpen—remains unclear, simply having him nearing game action is a major positive development for Red Sox fans who have waited patiently through the long rehabilitation process.
Tuesday’s game offered a microcosm of the 2026 season so far for Boston: promising performances on the mound, gritty wins against tough competition, but persistent questions about health and depth in the pitching staff. The Crochet-Misiorowski duel provided excitement and validation that the starters can deliver, yet the Slaten situation serves as a reminder that bullpen fragility could become a defining challenge if not managed carefully.
Red Sox fans will now watch Wednesday’s developments closely. A clean bullpen session for Crawford could spark real hope for reinforcements, while any lingering soreness for Slaten might force Boston to get creative with its relief options in the short term—and possibly the long term.
For now, the victory over Milwaukee stands as a step forward, but the mixed injury signals ensure that the spotlight remains fixed on the trainer’s room as much as the field. The coming days will determine whether the “get back” of a beloved arm outweighs the potential “long-term hell” of losing another key piece.