Patrick Sandoval and Jovani Morán Both Took Big Steps Back. That Changes Boston’s Second-Half Outlook.

The Red Sox got the kind of Sunday you don’t always see in late June. Two left-handed pitchers, two rehab outings, and both left the park looking like they actually belong in the big leagues again.

Patrick Sandoval went four innings for Triple-A Worcester on 60 pitches. Three hits, one earned run, one walk, three strikeouts. That’s not flashy, but it’s the most convincing start he’s made since going on the shelf with left biceps soreness back in March. Stuff was there. Command was better. The whiffs weren’t elite — just five on the day — but the swing-and-miss stuff typically returns once a pitcher stops nibbling. On Sunday, Sandoval was attacking the zone more often, which is exactly what the Red Sox wanted to see after a few rehab outings where he was still feeling things out.

Sandoval landed on the 60-day IL in early May after his recovery hit a snag. That pushed back the timeline, but Boston has basically been pointing toward a July return this whole time. One more rehab start is likely before the club activates him. If he holds up, that’s rotation depth the Red Sox have been missing all summer.

The Jovani Morán Rehab Was Even Sharper

Morán’s outing was shorter and arguably more impressive. Two innings, 14 pitches, two strikeouts, zero baserunners. That’s about as clean as it gets for a reliever coming back from left elbow inflammation. He was placed on the 15-day IL on June 6, so he hasn’t been out long. But bullpens are fragile. A sharp return matters.

The Red Sox are reportedly eyeing July 1 as Morán’s activation date. That would put him back in the bullpen just after the calendar flips to the second half. For a club that has leaned heavily on its pitching staff all year — especially the relief corps — getting a lefty who can miss bats without creating drama is a real help.

Boston isn’t going to rush either guy. The organization has been cautious with both, and they’ve earned that caution. But the timing works. Sandoval looks close. Morán looks ready. The Red Sox just need one more good rehab start from Sandoval and a few days of normal bullpen work for Morán. After that, the pitching staff gets deeper and more balanced almost overnight.

It’s not the splashy headline of a trade deadline acquisition. It’s just two hurt pitchers getting healthy at the right time. For a team trying to hold ground in the AL East, that might matter just as much.