The Boston Red Sox starting rotation is about to get a much-needed boost as one of their biggest offseason acquisitions prepares to return from the injured list.

When the season began, Boston's pitching staff looked like one of the most formidable in baseball. But a wave of early-season injuries and inconsistent performances has tested the team's depth. Now, reinforcements are on the way.

Three-time All-Star Sonny Gray, signed as a key piece of the Red Sox's offseason overhaul, is set to rejoin the rotation after missing time with a right hamstring sprain. The 36-year-old right-hander landed on the 15-day IL on April 20, but he's avoided a rehab assignment and is expected to start Wednesday's series finale against the Detroit Tigers.

"Right now, all things point toward Sonny starting," interim manager Chad Tracy told reporters Tuesday. "We're going to talk more about it after the game, but we're heading in that direction."

Gray's return couldn't come at a better time. Since he went down, the Red Sox have seen star pitchers Garrett Crochet and Ranger Suárez also hit the shelf with injuries. While Suárez hasn't been placed on the IL and could still start this weekend, Gray's activation will ease the burden on younger arms like rookie Jake Bennett, who has been pressed into regular duty.

Gray's numbers to open the season have been solid if not spectacular—a 4.30 ERA with 13 strikeouts over five starts. But his veteran presence and track record as a proven frontline starter should provide stability to a rotation that has been in flux.

For a team with championship aspirations, getting a pitcher of Gray's caliber back on the mound is a major step in the right direction. Expect the Red Sox to lean heavily on their All-Star hurler as they look to steady the ship and climb the standings.