Red Sox's Garrett Crochet Sending Signals About Yankees Playoff Series

*Insert eyeball emoji*

Sep 30, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora (13) shakes hands with starting pitcher Garrett Crochet (35) during a pitching change during the eighth inning of game one of the Wildcard round of the 2025 MLB playoffs against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Wouldn't it be fitting if, of all the pitchers on the Boston Red Sox, it was Garrett Crochet who got the biggest outs of a playoff series to send the New York Yankees packing this fall?

Crochet hasn't pitched since April 25, having landed on the injured list with a shoulder injury and compounded it with an oblique strain during his recovery. The left-hander, who was one of the top aces in the sport last season, can only hope to play a bullpen role in the postseason based on how long it takes to build up to throw 100-plus pitches.

Meanwhile, the Red Sox and Yankees look to be on a collision course in the Wild Card Series for the second year in a row, with Yankee Stadium the most likely venue. It's got a bit of a "written in the stars" feel to it, and Crochet added fuel to the fire on Monday.

What Crochet said about potential playoff relief role

Crochet was asked on Monday about the possibility of pitching against the Yankees in a big spot out of the bullpen after being on the shelf for this long, and he came out strong against the idea of the moment being full of pressure for a star like himself.

"Someone brought it up the other day. They were like, isn’t that crazy? I’m like, not really,” Crochet told Tim Healey of The Boston Globe. “I mean, not [to be all] me, me, me, me, but I’ve done crazy things before. I’m not Joe Schmoe. I’ve done impressive things. I think that that would be a big ask for some people, but I don’t think it’s a crazy ask for me.”

Though he had a 6.30 ERA in his six starts before the injury, you'd be hard-pressed to find a baseball fan who doesn't think Crochet — who also has three scoreless postseason innings under his belt as a reliever from years past — would rise to the occasion if his first competitive innings in 5 1/2 months happened in a heated rivalry matchup with winner-take-all stakes.

Now, we have to wait a few more weeks before the dominoes fall. But it has to fire Red Sox fans up that Crochet is envisioning his return coming with such meaningful stakes.

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