Garrett Crochet's Setback Is 'A Lot Worse' Than Red Sox Expected

Just when it seemed like things couldn't get worse for the Boston Red Sox, they did on Wednesday.

First and foremost, Boston was swept by the Tampa Bay Rays and fell to 27-39 on the season. That in itself is bad. Boston ended up losing 7-5. That score sounds closer than it was. The offense was brutal until the eighth inning. The top three batters in the Red Sox's lineup (Jarren Duran, Ceddanne Rafaela, and Wilyer Abreu) combined to make some bad history as Boston became the first team since 1901 to have its top three hitters in the order all go 0-for-3 with three strikeouts in their first three at-bats.

All of that was bad. But the hits kept coming. Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe reported that Garrett Crochet's lat strain is "a lot worse" than the club initially thought.

The Red Sox Can't Catch A Break

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

"Sidelined Red Sox ace Garrett Crochet said Wednesday that the lat strain that has kept him off the mound in recent weeks 'Is a lot worse than what we thought.' The left-hander has not appeared in a major league game since April 25 because of what was described at the time as shoulder fatigue. He pitched a simulated inning at Fenway Park on May 26, but was shut down a few days later with what the team said was a mild lat strain. 'I have no idea,' Crochet said when asked when he could be cleared to play catch. ...

"Interim manager Chad Tracy said Crochet would be tested again later this week to determine how the strain is healing. Once he is cleared to throw, assuming that does happen, Crochet will essentially need to start his season over."

This is a pretty devastating update for Boston. Right now, everything is completely up in the air with Crochet. There has been no timeline given, but it's going to be a while. But with Abraham saying he will "essentially" need to start his season over, that's a clear sign it's going to be a while. Remember, teams kick off Spring Training in mid-February and then the season typically starts towards the end of March. That's about a month and a half of build-up before the season even begins.

It's June 10 right now, as of writing. For the lefty, he needs to first get back to the point of throwing and then build up. Hopefully, he's able to return in 2026, but this is the opposite of what every Red Sox fan was likely hoping for.

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