A lot has happened for the Boston Red Sox since Garrett Crochet last stepped on the mound.
The 27-year-old ace threw his last outing on April 25, going six strong innings, allowing just three hits, no runs, and punching out seven in a 17-1 rout of the Orioles in Baltimore. The very next day, manager Alex Cora was fired.
Three days after that, Crochet was placed on the 15-day IL with left shoulder inflammation. Through May, the Red Sox struggled to find their footing under interim manager Chad Tracy, and Crochet suffered a setback that delayed his progress even further. He eventually was transferred to the 60-day injured list on June 5.
The weeks that followed were bleak, and the Red Sox fell to 32-46 on June 24. Then they swept the Yankees in a four-game series, which kickstarted a 32-5 run that included a 15-game win streak and a 9-game win streak. This stretch suddenly catapulted Boston into the postseason picture, raising the question of what this club could look like at full strength.
Central to that question was Crochet, and whether he would be able to get back to pitch in October. For a while there was no update, but over the past few weeks the left-hander has resumed throwing, and now he has a good idea of the role he will be returning to if he can get through his progression without any setbacks.
Crochet spoke with Chris Cotillo of MassLive on Tuesday before playing catch on the field at Fenway Park for the second straight day, saying that he is “quite hopeful” for a return this year, but clarifying that it won’t be in the spot that many would expect.
Based on the time that it will take him to build up, Crochet said there is an “a million percent” chance that his return this year would come as a reliever.
“What could I build up to, max? Probably two innings, just looking at the schedule based on when I started throwing and being smart about it,” he said.
It appears, based on the start date of his throwing progression and the amount of time he has already missed, that the Red Sox have his current timetable lined up as a final chance to get back for the playoffs. Any kind of setback at this point would end his season.
But Crochet has already indicated that an October return is his ultimate goal, and Tracy noted that it would be “foolish” to not consider using an arm like his out of the bullpen if he is willing and able. In three seasons as a reliever with the White Sox, the big lefty posted a 2.71 ERA with 85 strikeouts across 73 innings.
Boston’s bullpen was a crucial part of their turnaround in June and July but currently has some pieces up in the air. Setup man Garrett Whitlock and high-leverage option Justin Slaten are both on the IL with elbow inflammation after a few strenuous weeks. Adding Crochet into the mix, the hopes of a deep postseason run are highly dependent on the health of these seasoned hurlers.
But if all can shake out positively, inserting Crochet in a pen that has featured Aroldis Chapman, Whitlock, Slaten, Brayan Bello, Tyron Guerrero, and Erik Miller would make the unit one of the most formidable in the American League, if not all of baseball.
ALSO SEE:
- MLB Home Run Predictions Today: Best HR Prop Bets for Wednesday, Aug. 19
- NRFI and YRFI MLB Bets Today: Best First-Inning Predictions for Wednesday, Aug. 19
- Poll: Will Pete Crow-Armstrong be the 2026 NL MVP?
Greatest Red Sox of All-Time
- 5 best hitters in Boston Red Sox history
- 5 best Red Sox pitchers of all-time
- 5 best shortstops in Red Sox history
- 5 best Red Sox outfielders of all-time
