Garrett Crochet Responds to Red Sox President's Trade Deadline Warning

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 | Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

The tone around the Boston Red Sox's trade deadline pursuits noticeably changed throughout the week, and now there's an air of desperation about the next stretch of games.

Despite a win on Friday, the Red Sox's 28-39 record had them five games out of a wild-card spot entering play on Saturday. And team president Sam Kennedy put the honest truth on the table on Thursday during his appearance on WEEI.

"Look, let's be honest, unless things change dramatically, we may have to pivot here from what our initial planning was," Kennedy said, per WEEI's Rob Bradford. "It just wouldn't be responsible to do otherwise."

Garrett Crochet's thoughts on Kennedy's quote

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

Injured ace pitcher Garrett Crochet responded to Kennedy with his thoughts after the Red Sox stomped on the Texas Rangers in Friday night's series opener to break a four-game losing streak.

"I don't think that we needed that wake-up call," Crochet said, per Bradford. "I think everyone knows the kind of ball that needs to be played, not only at the big league level but here in Boston, especially.

"We went out this offseason and acquired some talent that the team and the clubhouse viewed as game-changers, and ultimately, we haven't played well as a group. There have been moments here and there, and not all the losses are ugly, but they’re still losses, which suck."

Crochet probably feels at least somewhat responsible for the Red Sox's current plight. He put up a 6.30 ERA n his first six starts of the season (three wins and three losses) before hitting the injured list at the end of April.

His shoulder injury from that time and his recent lat setback make it unlikely that he'll return to the majors before the All-Star break. All he can do is hope his teammates spark the kind of turnaround Kennedy knows might be tough to come by.

If the Red Sox can get back into the playoff hunt by that point, Crochet could be a bigger and better boost to the roster than any trade deadline acquisition. Getting to that point, however, is still going to be quite tough, and each game from this point forward comes with serious stakes.