Boston Red Sox
Crochet threw his first bullpen session since May.
Garrett Crochet hasn’t pitched in a game since April 25 due to left shoulder inflammation and lat tightness. Barry Chin/Globe Staff
September 5, 2026 | 7:14 PM
2 minutes to read
Garrett Crochet could be pitching in meaningful games for the Boston Red Sox down the stretch and in the playoffs.
The 26-year-old left-hander won’t be making starts for Boston, but he made progress toward possibly returning to the club in a reliever role on Friday.
Crochet threw off a mound in a bullpen session for the first time since May, interim manager Chad Tracy told reporters on Friday.
Tracy said he felt encouraged by Crochet’s pitching work, which consisted of 16 pitches (all fastballs).
“The fact that he got on the mound today and threw is a really, really good sign,” Tracy said (via MLB.com’s Ian Browne). “Seeing how he comes in tomorrow will be an important piece of it. When he comes in tomorrow, does he feel anything, any lingering effects that are going to slow down, or does he feel really good? And then you can proceed.
“But I think the fact that all the work he’s put in, the fact that he got off the mound today and threw a bullpen is a really, really good sign.”
Crochet wound up on the injured list on April 29 due to throwing shoulder inflammation. Then, he suffered a setback after throwing a May bullpen session, which was ultimately diagnosed as left lat tightness. The latter ailment complicated his recovery and was the main reason he hadn’t thrown off a mound in months.
Last month, Tracy told reporters that it “wouldn’t be feasible” for Crochet to return to the starting rotation if he were to pitch for Boston again this year.
However, he didn’t rule out the possibility of the southpaw joining the bullpen down the stretch and into the playoffs.
Crochet also implied pitching in relief could be a real possibility last month. He said he could probably pitch “two innings max” (via MassLive’s Chris Cotillo), but there’s still no date set for a potential return to the mound. He’d likely need to make rehab outings in the minor leagues before rejoining the Red Sox.
Tracy said the organization would like to see him pitch for Boston in the regular season to help him get his bearings — but they don’t want to push him, either.
“It’s hard to say at this point, but I think the fact that he’s throwing sides right now, the goal is to get him out there before the end of the season if we can, but we got more boxes to check,” Tracy said.
Crochet is no stranger to pitching in relief. He was a reliever in college and pitched out of the Chicago White Sox’ bullpen in his first three MLB seasons (2020-21, 2023) before becoming a starter in 2024.
As a big-league bullpen arm, Crochet was formidable. He owned a 2.12 ERA across 73 innings (72 appearances) for the White Sox. He recorded 85 strikeouts and allowed just three home runs. Opponents batted .203 with a .301 on-base percentage against him.
It would be pretty jarring to see Crochet, who nearly won the American League Cy Young Award as Boston’s ace last season, pitch out of the bullpen a la Chris Sale in 2018. But a healthy — and rested — Crochet coming on as a reliever in do-or-die moments for the Red Sox down the stretch and in October would be invaluable for a team with big aspirations.
Kaley Brown
Kaley Brown is a sports producer for Boston.com, where she covers the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox.
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