Red Sox Get Update on Garrett Crochet Timeline

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Red Sox Get Update on Garrett Crochet Timeline

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Ezra Lombardi | Last updated Sep 7, 2026 7:37 PM ET

The Boston Red Sox are on a collision course for the Wild Card round, just as they found themselves in last season.

After a lights-out start from their ace Garrett Crochet to claim game one, last year’s squad bowed out of the postseason following two straight losses to the series host New York Yankees. This year’s team expects to be back in the playoffs despite Crochet not toeing the rubber since April 25th.

The 27-year-old Crochet has battled a shoulder injury since then and only made six starts this season, posting a 6.30 ERA and going 3-3. Still, the incredibly valuable lefty is pushing for a late season return and has now outlined exactly when he could be back in uniform for the Red Sox.

According to Tim Healey of The Boston Globe, Crochet is “tracking toward being ready for the first round of the playoffs.” The two-time All-Star threw his first full bullpen on Friday, tossing around 16 fastballs as he builds back up from a full shutdown.

Healey indicated that Crochet’s current timeline does not build in any rehab or regular season appearances before getting back out on a major league field for postseason ball. This would be a tall ask, but as Crochet points out, he has “done crazy things before.”

New: Garrett Crochet is tracking toward being ready for the first round of the playoffs, despite likely not pitching in a game — majors or minors — before then.

“I’ve done crazy things before. I’m not Joe Schmoe. I’ve done impressive things.”

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— Tim Healey (@timbhealey) September 7, 2026

Before joining the Red Sox, Crochet established himself as a stellar reliever through three seasons before becoming a dominant starter with the Chicago White Sox. In his first year in Boston, Crochet was 18-5 with a 2.59 ERA and a major league-best 255 strikeouts in 32 starts, putting himself in contention for the AL Cy Young Award.

Despite throwing only 30 innings this year, Crochet and the Red Sox are confident that he will come back and impact winning immediately.

There will still be several boxes to check before the organization feels comfortable throwing their $170 million man back out there, but there is no denying the intrigue of having Crochet back for a playoff run, even if it is just in a 1-2 inning role. Boston’s rotation has found a solid rhythm in his absence, but the velocity, experience, and power pitching of Crochet can bring a different element come October.

The left-hander is set to throw another bullpen on Tuesday with a slight increase in volume. With eyes now fixed on the end of the month, he will likely get a handful more of these sessions in before his number is called to join the postseason roster.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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