The Boston Red Sox have not had Garrett Crochet for most of the season thanks to a shoulder injury.
Crochet was the American League Cy Young Award runner-up last season, but was off to a poor start this year. He had a 6.30 ERA through six starts, but it's possible that the shoulder injury was something that was bothering him before he eventually went to the injured list. Regardless, all eyes are now on him trying to get back.
“Garrett started throwing yesterday, at 50, 60 feet,” Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy said on Tuesday, per MLB.com's Ian Browne. “So as you guys know, he's been down a while. We're in the very infant stages of very short [distance]. But he did have a ball in his hand and was throwing it, which is good. So he's probably going to be in that really short range throwing for now, and then we'll move him along as he goes.”
Crochet still has a long way to go, but it's early August right now, and the Red Sox do not really need him back until mid to late September if they want him to be ready for the postseason. Still, he has some big hurdles to clear.
“Yeah, he’s got a chance [to pitch this season] for sure,” said Tracy. “I think when you say, ‘Hey a guy has got a ball in his hand and he's throwing like 50 or 60 feet,’ you realize it's a little ways off, but the fact that he's throwing ... you don't know during the course as he goes along here, how's it going feel. So there's still a lot of hurdles to climb."
The biggest thing for Crochet will be the build-up. Will there be enough time for him to be built up and join the rotation? Would the Red Sox roster him in the postseason knowing he may only be able to serve in relief?
These are questions the team will need to answer at some point, but perhaps not right now. The number one priority for the team will be making sure Crochet is healthy. If he is able to return to the rotation, the Red Sox would have him, Ranger Suarez, Sonny Gray, Payton Tolle and Jake Bennett. That's a rotation capable of carrying them through October.