For the second time this season, the Red Sox are dealing with conflicting public messaging about a player’s injury. This time, team president Sam Kennedy admits the organization could have handled Garrett Crochet’s situation better.
“I need to own up to my mistake,” said Kennedy on the “Greg Hill Show” on WEEI radio. “If anything, I can learn from my mistakes in terms of putting timetables or getting into details. That’s not my role, and so I’m not going to do it.”
Crochet revealed that the lat strain he developed while rehabbing a shoulder injury was worse than initially expected. Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow and interim manager Chad Tracy said that the left-hander continues to make progress from the strain.
It’s possible both Crochet and the club are describing different aspects of the same recovery process. Even so, the differing public accounts have created unnecessary confusion.
Kennedy refused to get into any specifics beyond the official diagnosis of a low-grade lat strain.
“In terms of Garrett, unfortunately, he’s dealing with a lat issue. Again, I’ll stop there.”
Sam Kennedy Takes Responsibility for Communication Mistake on Roman Anthony Injury
GettyBOSTON, MA – MAY 10: Roman Anthony #19 of the Boston Red Sox looks on from the dugout during the eighth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park on May 10, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images)
This comes after the club was at odds with star outfielder Roman Anthony concerning a ring finger injury. Kennedy described Anthony’s right ring finger injury as a sprain on radio, which outfielder later revealed as a partial tear.
“I shouldn’t be sitting here talking about a sprain,” said Kennedy. “A sprain is a tear. I was reading off a report that identified the sprain.
“He needed to correct, I think, what I said, which was that I referred to it as a sprain. It was a sprain. That was true. But that is also a tear. The degree, the level, I just shouldn’t be wading into that. That’s on me 100%.”
A sprain is the official medical term for tearing of the ligaments. In Anthony’s case, it appears to be at least a Grade 2 sprain, since he said there’s partial tearing. He’s been on the 10-day injured list since May 5.
There were more reports concerning a potential mishandling of Anthony’s injury. The Pesky Podcast reported that the outfielder was sent to Driveline when he should have been resting, citing a source familiar with the situation. Red Sox broadcaster Lou Merloni refuted that report.
MassLive’s Christopher Smith reported on June 8 that Anthony has yet to swing a bat. There seems to be no indication when the star outfielder will return to the Red Sox’s lineup.
Communication Between Front Office and Players Remains Issue For Red Sox
Poor communication between the front office and players has been an issue the past two seasons. Former star third baseman Rafael Devers serves as the most infamous example.
This stems from the Alex Bregman signing, which happened in February 2025. Devers was moved to DH after he refused a move to first base, then traded to the San Francisco Giants when the relationship soured.
This season, there is a messaging conflict with both Garrett Crochet and Roman Anthony, and their respective injuries. The club cannot be at odds with their star players, and when they’ll return to action.
“I don’t think there was a feeling with the players that there was any intention to do anything other than try to relay information in a transparent way,” said Sam Kennedy. “We need to do a better job with that across the organization.”
Kennedy’s public acknowledgment is a start. The bigger challenge for the Red Sox is ensuring players, coaches, and executives are delivering a consistent message when injuries and roster decisions become public.
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