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MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - APRIL 14: Sonny Gray #54 of the Boston Red Sox pitches against the Minnesota Twins in the first inning at Target Field on April 14, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Ellen Schmidt/Getty Images)

It hasn’t been the greatest start to the 2026 season for the Boston Red Sox. They’ve dealt with numerous injuries, played inconsistent baseball overall, and even just fired manager Alex Cora a week ago.

Sonny Gray was one of the key arms who recently got injured, suffering a hamstring strain on April 20. However, he’s progressing quickly, and the righty even threw live batting practice on Friday, via Jenn McCaffrey of The Athletic. It’s a major step towards a return for Gray, who is eligible to come off the IL next Wednesday.

Good News For The Red Sox and Sonny Gray

GettyBOSTON, MA – APRIL 20: Sonny Gray #54 of the Boston Red Sox pitches against the Detroit Tigers during the first inning at Fenway Park on April 20, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images)

This latest development is great news for the Red Sox, given how depleted their rotation is right now. Garrett Crochet is also on the IL as of April 29 with shoulder inflammation. Being without two of their best starters is a difficult situation to deal with, but at least Gray is nearly healthy.

It only took the veteran one week to get back on the mound after the hamstring issue. He threw his first bullpen on April 27, and there have been no setbacks since. That’s a phenomenal sign, because hamstring strains can sometimes be tricky — especially for a pitcher like Gray who generates a lot of his velocity from the lower half.

Red Sox Rotation Needs Consistency

GettyBOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – APRIL 19: Starting pitcher Garrett Crochet #35 of the Boston Red Sox throws in the first inning against the Detroit Tigers at Fenway Park on April 19, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jaiden Tripi/Getty Images)

Boston’s rotation owns a 3.86 ERA so far. Crochet and Brayan Bello have both struggled, but Crochet was starting to find his electrifying stuff again before the injury, which is a real bummer for him and the Red Sox.

Ranger Suarez, Connelly Early, and Gray have been the most consistent starters. Gray owns a 4.30 ERA across five outings, but he only lasted 2.2 innings in his last start before exiting due to injury.

Payton Tolle was called up to replace Gray in the rotation, and he’s held his own, posting a 3.38 ERA across two starts. The team also just called up Nate Eaton in the wake of the Crochet news.

There’s still a lot of confusion around this ball club after the dismissal of Cora, but the hope is that his firing can give the Red Sox a much-needed boost to turn the ship around.

Getting one of their most experienced arms in the mix again will certainly help. Gray’s return becomes even more important without Crochet. He’s a guy who can pitch deep into ballgames, and he often gives the Red Sox a fighting chance every time he takes the hill. Boston begins a three-game set on Friday against the Houston Astros, and they’re currently sitting at 12-19 on the year.

Jake Bennett will make his MLB debut in the series opener after getting promoted from Triple-A Worcester.