The Boston Red Sox avoided the worst-case scenario with one of MLB‘s best pitchers, Garrett Crochet. But that doesn’t mean the news was good. Crochet has been diagnosed with a low-grade lat strain after undergoing an MRI, giving Boston a clearer answer after the left-hander reported lingering tightness over the weekend. Interim manager Chad Tracy said Crochet can resume throwing once he is asymptomatic, which sounds encouraging, but still leaves the Red Sox without a firm return date.
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Frustration For Red Sox
That is the frustrating part for Boston. So yes, a low-grade strain is better than a serious tear. But it is still another delay for a pitcher Boston desperately needs back.
Crochet was already working back from shoulder inflammation and had not pitched since April 26. He had thrown live batting practice and was scheduled for another session before feeling a pull in his lat, forcing the Red Sox to shut him down again.
Crochet has been limited to six starts this season and owns a 6.30 ERA, though that number was heavily damaged by one disastrous outing against the Twins. The larger issue is that the Red Sox have not yet gotten anything close to the version of Crochet they expected.
Plenty Of Injuries
The rotation situation makes it worse. Boston currently has five starters on the injured list, including Crochet, Tanner Houck, Kutter Crawford, Patrick Sandoval, and Johan Oviedo. Sandoval is expected to begin a rehab assignment at Triple-A Worcester, but Crawford has been pulled back after another bout of forearm tightness.
That puts Crochet’s update in a tough middle ground. The MRI did not deliver panic, but it also did not deliver a return date. For the Red Sox, that means more waiting, more patchwork pitching, and more pressure on a rotation that has already been hit hard.
Crochet may be trending in the right direction. Boston still needs him to actually get back on a mound.
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