Garrett Crochet’s Lat Injury Has One Silver Lining — and It Could Shift Boston’s Trade Deadline Plans

The Boston Red Sox entered 2026 with legitimate hope in their rotation. Garrett Crochet, acquired in a blockbuster trade ahead of his breakout 2025 campaign, was supposed to be the anchor. Instead, the left-hander has made just six starts, sidelined by a lat injury that has tested both his patience and the organization’s timeline.

Now, there’s finally a flicker of good news. Crochet told reporters this week that the pain in his lat has subsided, marking the first real progress in months. He expects to resume throwing soon, though the team has not set a specific date. Once he does, the ramp-up period will take weeks, meaning a return before the All-Star break is off the table.

What this means for Crochet — and for Boston’s front office

For Crochet personally, the update is a relief. He came to Boston with ace-level expectations after posting a 3.12 ERA and striking out 209 batters in 184 innings last season. The 2026 campaign was supposed to be his Cy Young chase. Instead, it has been a slow burn of rehab and frustration.

But the bigger question may be what this timeline means for the Red Sox as a whole. Boston sits dead last in the American League East at 27-39, 13.5 games back of the co-leading Yankees and Rays. Their home record is an abysmal 10-21. The Wild Card picture offers no comfort — they trail the Rangers by six games for the final spot.

With Crochet unlikely to pitch until after the break, the Red Sox face a decision. Do they hold onto their young ace and hope for a miraculous second-half run? Or do they pivot toward selling, with Crochet as one of the most valuable trade chips on the market?

The Rangers series starts a critical stretch

Boston opens a three-game set at Fenway Park this weekend against Texas, a team directly ahead of them in the standings. Newcomer Sonny Gray, who has been a rare bright spot with a 7-1 record and a 3.20 ERA, takes the mound for the Sox on Friday. He’ll face Rangers right-hander Jack Leiter, who owns a 4.69 ERA.

For now, the Red Sox are stuck in no-man’s land: too talented to fully tear down, but far too inconsistent to buy. Crochet’s slow recovery only tightens the window. If Boston falls further behind in the next three weeks, expect the front office to start fielding calls.