The Boston Red Sox have been heating up as spring training progresses. Following an abysmal 1-3 start to the exhibition season, the Red Sox are 4-1-1 in their last six games heading into Wednesday’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays, leaving it to be seen whether Alex Cora’s team will continue to build momentum.
Unfortunately, the Red Sox’s recent medical report may make it tough for the team to continue winning this spring.
Several Players Dealing With Illness in Spring Training
Before Tuesday’s 12-4 victory against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Cora told reporters that several of his players are now suffering from a stomach illness. According to Sports Illustrated’s Sam Connon, “the illness is growing day by day,” to the point where the Red Sox manager advised media to maintain their distance.
“Put your masks on,” Cora instructed. “Stay away from players and managers.”
Several Red Sox players have missed time this week due to illness. Outfielder Roman Anthony and roommate/shortstop Marcelo Mayer both missed games earlier this week, while first baseman Triston Casas and utility player Romy Gonzalez were also out.
Making matters worse, OF Wilyer Abreu has yet to play this spring due to an illness that has caused him to lose weight, according to MassLive’s Christopher Smith.
Stomach bugs and other ailments are common throughout this time of year. Having said that, the Red Sox don’t need their lineup to be plagued by illness, especially with less than three weeks until Opening Day 2025.
The current medical condition most likely reminds Red Sox fans of an event that occurred in 2024. According to Alex Speier of the Boston Globe, veteran infielder Vaughn Grissom suffered a stomach virus last spring, which prompted him to miss nearly two weeks of action and led him to drop approximately 14 pounds.
Grissom went on to have his worst MLB season to date, underlining how serious his spring stomach ailment was. Even while an early groin strain most definitely contributed to his disappointing performance, it’s easy to envision how much better he could have been if the sickness hadn’t forced him to lose so much weight.
Time will tell how quickly the Red Sox’s ailing roster will heal. Cora’s players must be as healthy as possible if Boston hopes to return to the MLB postseason for the first time since 2021.
Fortunately, despite the illness, the Red Sox are on track to make the playoffs. FanDuel Sportsbook now has Boston at -128 odds to make the 2025 MLB postseason, with an indicated chance of 56.1%.
