Boston Red Sox starter Sonny Gray exited the Red Sox' 8-6 win over the Detroit Tigers on May with right hamstring tightness. Now, it appears that he’s headed to the injured list.
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Gray cruised through his first two innings of work, allowing just one base runner before running into trouble in the third, allowing one run. After walking Detroit second baseman Gleyber Torres on four pitches, he was seen awkwardly trying to stretch out the hamstring, causing Red Sox manager Alex Cora, pitching coach Andrew Bailey, and head trainer Brandon Henry to come out to the mound. After just one warmup toss, the contingent determined Gray couldn’t continue, leaving the Boston bullpen to cover the remaining 5.1 innings.
Sonny Gray left his start with an injury in the third inning pic.twitter.com/UicnwehDDy
— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) April 20, 2026
After the game, Cora announced that Gray would undergo an MRI, but the team didn’t think it was serious. Gray, however, went into more depth on the injury, "I felt a grab in my right hamstring, something that I had felt before, in the moment I kinda knew what it was...I threw a warmup pitch and same feeling, not a grab, but a tightness after that...that was it," he said.
Gray also shared with the media that this was something "2022,2024, I've dealt with it for a while, just managed it," he said. "It just happens every now and then," he continued.
As for how this compares to the previous times the injury has come up: "It doesn't feel as bad as it has other times where I have missed time, I will say that, and that's a good thing...in this moment it doesn't feel like it's a horrible thing, but it is just something that is gonna take however long it takes to get right, I don't know what that is right now."
Apr 20, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox pitcher Sonny Gray (54) pitches during the first inning against the Detroit Tigers at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn ImagesIt will take at least 15-days to get right. Per MassLive's Chris Cotillo, the Red Sox will be placing Gray on the 15-day injured list with the injury.
The Red Sox will be bringing in some reinforcements for a taxed bullpen as the countermove, also per Cotillo: Left-handed reliever Tyler Samaniego will be recalled from Triple-A Worcester.
Samaniego made his major league debut on April 8 against Milwaukee and made three scoreless appearances for Boston before being optioned back to Triple-A on April 14.
First batter, first K!
— NESN (@NESN) April 8, 2026
Tyler Samaniego already looks like a natural up here 🙌 pic.twitter.com/4lsVHw023I
The injury to Gray comes at a time when the Red Sox pitching depth has seen a string of injuries. Johan Oviedo was placed on the 60-day injured list with a right flexor strain, while Kutter Crawford and Patrick Sandoval experienced setbacks on their rehab assignments, and Worcester starter Tyler Uberstein was placed on the Triple-A IL with shoulder soreness.
The Red Sox have not yet named a replacement for Gray in the rotation, though top prospect Payton Tolle should be firmly in the mix when Gray's spot comes up on Saturday in Baltimore.
The Red Sox will open up a three-game set with the New York Yankees on Tuesday night at Fenway Park. Connelly Early will get the start for Boston, opposite Luis Gil for New York. First pitch from Fenway Park at 6:45 p.m. ET.
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