The Boston Red Sox have placed right-handed pitchers Tanner Houck and Kutter Crawford on the COVID-19 restricted list, the team announced Monday. As a result, the team brought up John Schreiber and Tyler Danish from Triple-A Worcester ahead of their four-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays.
Houck and Crawford are unvaccinated, meaning they can’t travel to Toronto for the upcoming four-game series against the Blue Jays. On the restricted list, players can’t be paid nor receive service time.
The other two who are not vaccinated and have not confirmed since last season whether they are vaccinated now or not, are Chris Sale and Josh Taylor — Taylor recently had to go into protocols after he was a close contact making it likely he still isn’t.
But, Taylor is rehabbing with Double-A Portland currently while Sale is in the midst of a 60-day injured list stint, though Boston does play in Toronto again at the end of June, in which both will in all likelihood be back from injury then.
The 26-year-old Crawford, in his first season making the Opening Day roster, has yielded seven runs across seven innings (five relief outings) amounting to a 9.00 ERA, though he is backed by a 2.51 FIP and a 4.18 xFIP — striking out 11 hitters (14.14 K/9) despite walking six (7.71 BB/9).
Houck has had a strong season so far across three starts and an additional relief outing last night, posting a 2.87 ERA in 15.2 innings (five earned runs), pitching a 2.96 FIP to go along with a 2.96 FIP, 3.95 xFIP, 13 strikeouts (7.47), and seven walks (4.02).
Danish, 27, has pitched in two outings for Boston so far and was recalled after getting demoted just yesterday. Through three innings he hasn’t allowed a hit, walking just two while striking out five. Rich Hill took his place on the roster yesterday following his return from the bereavement list.
Schreiber, 28, had one three-inning outing for Boston last season, and through five relief outings for the WooSox this season he’s gone 2-1 letting up two runs across 10.1 innings, equalling a 1.74 ERA and a 2.94 xFIP.
Boston begins its four-game set against Toronto tonight at 7:07 p.m. ET, as Nathan Eovaldi takes the mound against Jose Berrios. Stick around for our coverage, including the Red Sox lineup as well as a recap of the action.
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