Boston Red Sox pitcher Garrett Crochet, the American League Cy Young Award runner-up just last season, threw a bullpen session on Tuesday, tossing 20 pitches. This might sound like a small step, but it’s a crucial one in his return after being sidelined since April with shoulder inflammation. The thing is, when this guy comes back, it won’t be as the dominant starter we all remember.
Interim manager Chad Tracy dropped a bomb this week, saying Crochet would have “plenty of comfort opening if you wanted to go that route.” We’re talking about a guy who finished second for the AL’s top pitching honor, suddenly slotted into an opener role or even middle relief. Tracy added that Crochet “pitched out of ‘pen” before, so he’d be comfortable with “a two-inning pocket” in the middle of a game. It’s the “beauty of it,” Tracy said, how many different things they can do if he’s healthy and “looks like Garrett.” They won’t be building him up past three innings, that’s for sure. You gotta wonder if that rough 6.30 ERA through six starts this season, right before he landed on the injured list, was all because of that shoulder. It sure seems like it, especially when you remember the elite stuff he was flashing last year.
Pitching coach Andrew Bailey isn’t holding anything back either, calling Crochet an “animal on the mound.” Bailey is totally comfortable with him jumping straight into games without even needing rehab appearances, saying he “wouldn’t put it past him.” This is a huge vote of confidence! Crochet has a career 2.71 ERA as a reliever, all from his time with the Chicago White Sox, though he hasn’t been in the bullpen since 2023. Imagine that kind of power arm coming out of the bullpen, even for just a couple innings. They could use him to open, then bring in someone like Brayan Bello for a bulk outing. Bello, by the way, has been lights out in long relief with a 2.03 ERA in that role, compared to a 9.07 ERA as a starter. That’s a nasty one-two punch if they can pull it off.
There’s no doubt that if Crochet is truly healthy, he could be a real difference-maker, even in this unexpected role. Everyone’s just gotta wait to see him “continue to check the boxes” like Tracy wants. If he keeps looking like the “animal” Andrew Bailey describes, the league is about to get a whole lot more interesting with him back on the mound.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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