Garrett Crochet has been out since April 26 with a left shoulder capsule sprain, and the Red Sox ace isn't just working his way back for the sake of the rotation. He's now targeting a return out of the bullpen, a plan that would let him get back on a mound at all this year even if a full starter's workload isn't realistic given the calendar.
The bigger story here isn't really about innings, though. It's about money. Crochet signed a 6-year, $170 million extension shortly after Opening Day 2025, a deal that runs through 2031 and included a player opt-out after the 2030 season. That opt-out came with a catch built in for the Red Sox: if Crochet ever missed 120 days or more with a left arm injury, the clause would void. His IL stint crossed that threshold on August 18.
That's a brutal bit of timing for a guy who was the AL Cy Young runner-up last season. Losing the opt-out doesn't just strip away leverage down the road, it unlocks a $15 million club option for Boston in 2032, effectively pushing Crochet's potential free agency from age 31 to age 33. In a sport where earning windows are short and physical decline is real, that's not a small technicality. It's years of guaranteed control shifting from player to team.
Crochet himself has been candid about the situation, saying he'd have liked to avoid the setback but that he's mindful of "the contract that's at hand." That's about as direct as players usually get about the business side of injuries, and it underscores why the bullpen workaround matters. Getting back on a big-league mound this season, even in relief, keeps him sharp and gives the Red Sox a look at how the shoulder holds up heading into an offseason where his long-term deal is now locked in a different shape than it was in April.
As for what a return actually looks like, Crochet has floated building up to roughly 2 innings of work given how little runway is left in the schedule. That's a far cry from his normal role atop the rotation, but for a pitcher trying to prove his shoulder is fine and for a Red Sox team trying to figure out its playoff bullpen mix, even a limited version of Crochet could matter. Watch for updates on his throwing program as Boston's stretch run heats up.