Apr 19, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Garrett Crochet (35) pitches against the Detroit Tigers during the first inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images
The Boston Red Sox were hoping to receive some encouraging news regarding ace Garrett Crochet’s injury recovery, but the latest update suggests his return may be further away than initially expected. Crochet, who entered the 2026 MLB season as one of the favorites for the American League Cy Young Award, has hit another setback in his recovery process, creating even more uncertainty for a Red Sox team that has already endured a disappointing season.
Return Timeline Takes a Hit
The expectation when Crochet landed on the injured list was that his absence would be relatively brief. However, those hopes took a significant blow over the weekend. While throwing as part of his recovery program, Crochet reportedly experienced soreness. As a result, plans for him to face live hitters on Tuesday have been canceled.
That development is concerning because facing live hitters is typically one of the final steps before beginning a minor league rehab assignment. Without a clear timetable for when that session will be rescheduled, Crochet’s recovery timeline becomes much more difficult to predict.
June Return Appears Unlikely
Before this setback, there was optimism that Crochet could potentially return around June 20th. Now, that appears increasingly unlikely.
Even in a best-case scenario, Crochet would need to resume throwing, progress to facing live hitters, and then begin a rehab assignment. Given the amount of time he has missed, the Red Sox will likely want him to make at least two rehab starts to rebuild arm strength and pitch count before activating him.
That process alone could take several weeks. As things currently stand, a return sometime in mid-July may be a more realistic expectation.
Boston Needs Its Ace Back
When healthy, Crochet is one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball.
The left-hander finished as the runner-up in American League Cy Young voting in 2025 and was expected to anchor Boston’s rotation for years to come. Although he struggled early in 2026, there is little doubt about his importance to the club.
For a Red Sox team searching for answers, getting Crochet healthy remains one of the biggest priorities of the season. Unfortunately, that wait appears set to continue.
