Garrett Crochet Injury: Red Sox Star Inching Closer to Return

It was an interessting day for the Boston Red Sox's starting rotation on Sunday, to say the least.

On the negative side, Red Sox starter Ranger Suárez was forced to exit Boston's contest against the Houston Astros after just four innings of work. Shortly after Suárez's exit, The Athletic's Jen McCaffrey reported on X that the reason for his exit was right hamstring tightness.

"Ranger Suarez exited the game with right hamstring tightness," McCaffrey wrote.

On the bright side, Tim Healey of The Boston Globe reported that Red Sox superstar Garrett Crochet played catch for the first time on Sunday since he was shut down after being placed on the Injured List with shoulder inflammation.

The Boston Red Sox Ace Took A Positive Step

Apr 25, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Boston Red Sox pitcher Garrett Crochet (35) throws during the first inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images | Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images

"Garrett Crochet played catch today for the first time after a brief no-throw period," Healey wrote on X. "So early signs there continue to be positive, though the Sox have preached caution/patience."

This doesn't mean that Crochet is going to take the mound for Boston in the coming days. The big lefty was placed on the 15-Day Injured List towards the end of April. In a perfect world, Crochet will be able to return to the hill for the Red Sox shortly after that 15-day window expires. Crochet has made it sound like he thinks he won't need much more time than the minimum stay on the Injured List. Starting his throwing progression on Sunday is a sign that he's trending in the right direction.

The next step will be seeing how he responds in the coming days and if there is any soreness. If he can come away without soreness and start throwing bullpens, maybe returning shortly after that 15-day window expires is realistic.

Before Crochet was placed on the Injured List, he had a 6.30 ERA in six starts across 30 innings of work. This comes after he led the league with 205 1/3 innings pitched in his first game in Boston to go along with an impressive 2.59 ERA.

The big lefty hasn't looked quite like himself so far this season. In his last start on April 25 he looked good with six shutout innings, but he allowed 15 total earned runs across his two previous starts. Boston needs Crochet at his best if the club wants to turn the season around. Hopefully, this little stint on the Injured List is the break he needs to get back on track.

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