Garrett Crochet Out for Red Sox's Final 4 Games, But Playoff Return Still Possible

The Boston Red Sox have just four games left in the 2026 Major League Baseball regular season and the fanbase will not be seeing Garrett Crochet on the hill before it wraps up. While this is the case, there is still hope for a postseason return.

The two-time All-Star has been building up and throwing bullpens with the hope of returning in a bullpen role for Boston's playoff push. Crochet's most recent bullpen came on Tuesday — and was the most exciting one yet. Crochet topped out at 96 miles per hour with his fastball and faced live hitters for the first time since May. On Wednesday, Red Sox manager Chad Tracy confirmed that Crochet will not pitch in the regular season, but is likely to throw another bullpen over the weekend and wouldn't rule him out for the Wild Card round, which begins on Sep. 29, as transcribed by MassLive.com's Chris Cotillo.

Don't Count Out Garrett Crochet Yet

Apr 13, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Garrett Crochet (35) delivers a pitch against the Minnesota Twins in the first inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

"Doesn’t necessarily void him for the Wild Card, but the conversations around that are deep in a lot of ways," Tracy said. "It could change a playoff roster. What is he able to give you? Can he give you two games? Can he give you multiple innings? Can he go back-to-back? All of those questions have to be answered, not only for his own health but for our team and what puts us in the best position."

Crochet will likely throw another live BP this weekend and won't pitch in a game during the regular season but Chad Tracy says: "Doesn’t necessarily void him for the Wild Card, but the conversations around that are deep in a lot of ways. It could change a playoff roster. What is…
— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) September 23, 2026

If you're a Red Sox fan hoping to see Crochet again in 2026, don't give up hope. The fact that Crochet isn't going to pitch in a regular season isn't a negative update in the slightest. In early September, Tim Healey of The Boston Globe reported that Crochet was "tracking toward being ready for the first round" despite not being expected to pitch in a game beforehand. So, the fact that Crochet isn't expected to pitch in one of the club's final four regular season games isn't necessarily new information.

The important thing to think about here is the progression of the big lefty. He faced live hitters for the first time in months on Tuesday. He looked good and said afterward that he thought that he could get outs in a game right now for Boston if he threw like that again. If he feels like himself, that's more important than getting into Game 162. He's pitched enough in the big leagues and the coaches and front office have been tracking him enough to know where he's at. The Red Sox aren't going to put Crochet on the mound in a playoff game if they don't think he can be himself.

So far, there haven't been updates pointing in that direction. There are playoff roster questions to think about, who would come off the roster to put him on. But that's a good problem to have and is a sign of how good Boston's bullpen is. If Crochet is himself, he makes Boston better. The Wild Card round begins on Sep. 29. Crochet still has a shot to be there.

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